UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


IVERSITY  C         |    |j  |  ||  !  I  |  |j    |;  ||  1 1 

00022094225 
School  of  Libr\ 
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BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM, 


BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 

"THE  BLUE  FLAG,"  ETC. 


A  fM\  euvice  Soc.ie.ttf  Nt 


"with  god  all  things  are  possible." 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 
AMERICAN   TRACT   SOCIETY, 

1.30  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


He  who  would  see  the  originals  of  Buster  and 
Baby  Jim,  need  but  explore  the  lanes  and  alleys 
of  any  large  city.  There  are  thousands  of  such 
children  to  be  rescued. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  i8C2,  by  the 
American  Tract  Society,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court 
of  the  Southern  District  cf  the  State  of  Xew  Yorli. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
The  Brothers - 5 

CHAPTER  II. 
"Butter  and  Eggs"  — 13 

CHAPTER  III. 
A  Bide 22 

CHAPTER   IV. 
The  Stone  Building--'- 29 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Hon.  Mr.  B - 38 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Parting - - ---  49 

CHAPTER  VII. 
A  Western  Farmer -- 53 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Mrs.  Jillard Ci 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Confession 72 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  X. 


Letters  ■ 


CHAPTER  XI. 
The  Tempted - 87 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Business  in  Town -  -  -     C;0 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Conclusion 98 


BUSTER,  AND  BABY  JIM. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE    BROTHERS. 

There  is  a  sunny  street-corner  in  one 
of  our  cities,  which  was  once  the  favorite 
lounging-place  for  the  idle  boys  of  all 
that  neighborhood.  In  fair  weather  or 
foul,  a  knot  of  little  fellows  was  sure  to 
be  collected  there,  buzzing  away  like 
bees,  if  they  were  not  gathering  honey. 
They  talked  and  laughed  and  cracked 
their  jokes,  and  seemed  in  truth  a  "mer- 
rie  companie ;"  yet  when  the  careful 
mothers  who  lived  hard  by  sent  out  their 
sons  on  errands,  they  were  sure  to  say, 
"Don't  stop   at  the  corner,"  or,  "Go 


6  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

round  the  other  way,  so  that  you  need 
not  pass  that  corner." 

It  was  not  that  the  group  of  bo}rs  of 
which  we  have  spoken  could  not  boast 
some  well-dressed  lads  among  them,  tha^t 
they  were  condemned ;  no,  it  was  not  on 
account  of  their  torn,  shabby  clothing, 
that  they  were  such  undesirable  associ- 
ates. Wise  heads  knew  that  such  idle 
loungers  were  on  the  road  to  wicked- 
ness, if  they  had  not  already  been  guilty 
of  crime.  Passers-by  might  now  and 
then  hear  an  oath  from  their  young  lips, 
and  the  Sunday  morning  bells  did  not 
send  them  to  the  pleasant  Sabbath-school, 
or  bid  them  join  happy  families  on  their 
way  to  church.  Two  of  God's  command- 
ments at  least  they  were  breaking ;  they 
could  not  be  companions  which  any  good 
mother  would  wish  for  her  son. 

Among  the  most  unfailing  frequenters 
of  "the  corner"  were  two  brothers,  who 


THE  BROTHERS.  7 

were  known  among  their  friends  as  "Bus- 
ter" and  "Baby  Jim;"  what  their  real 
names  were  no  one  knew,  and  on  this 
point  they  were  as  ignorant  as  everybody 
else.  Ever  since  they  could  remember 
they  had  been  wanderers  in  the  streets 
of  the  great  city,  living  by  begging,  pil- 
fering, or  by  the  doubtful  charities  of 
people  far  gone  in  wickedness.  Just 
now  they  had  some  new  acquaintances 
who  seemed  to  take  a  great  fancy  to 
them.  Buster  and  Baby  Jim  had  found 
a  house  where  they  could  always  get  a 
comfortable  meal,  and  where  rough  men 
gave  them  a  hearty  welcome  and  seemed 
to  take  a  special  pleasure  in  counting  the 
boys  "  one  of  them."  Sundry  hints  had 
been  thrown  out  as  to  teaching  the  broth- 
ers how  to  make  a  handsome  living,  and 
"Baby  Jim"  was  led  to  believe  there  was 
a  very  easy  way  for  him  to  lay  up  stores 
of  money,  and  ride  in? his  own  carriage  one 


8  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

of  these  days.  The  little  chap  could  not 
help  thinking  that  this  would  be  much 
more  agreeable  than  his  present  diver- 
sion of  "hanging  on  behind"  in  imminent 
clanger  of  the  coachman's  whip,  though  it 
might  not  be  quite  as  exciting. 

Through  the  day  the  boys  were  at  the 
street  corner,  lounging  and  chatting,  but 
in  the  evening  they  were  going  through 
a  course  of  lessons  preparatory  to  the 
very  profitable  branch  of  business  on 
which  they  were  expected  to  enter. 

Poor  young  things ;  without  father  or 
mother,  ignorant  and  penniless,  what 
was  to  prevent  them  from  starting  upon 
a  career  of  crime,  to  end  in  prison  or  on 
the  scaffold  ?  They  had  no  true  friend 
to  warn  them ;  no  faithful,  loving  friend 
to  call  them  to  the  ways  of  pleasantness 
and  peace,  and  teach  them  the  joy  of 
honest  labor  and  the  manly  satisfaction 
of  earning  their  own  bread. 


THE  BROTHERS.  9 

As  it  was, '  the  weeks  went  by,  and 
Baby  Jim's  small  face  grew  more  keen, 
eager,  and  cunning  in  its  expression; 
while  Buster's  every  limb  and  feature 
spoke  of  the  future  ruffian,  daily  increas- 
ing in  strength  and  daring. 

There  was  scarcely  a  year's  difference 
between  the  ages  of  the  boys.  They 
knew  that,  though  strangers  could  hard- 
ly believe  it.  They  well  remembered 
when  it  was  their  delight  to  stand  side 
by  side  under  the  projecting  shop  win- 
dows, not  an  inch's  difference  in  their 
height,  though  Buster  even  then  claimed 
authority  as  the  elder  brother. 

Exposure  and  hard  usage  had  stunted 
little  Jim  ;  but  his  thin  wiry  figure  seem- 
ed made  of  springs  of  steel,  and  was 
more  than  a  match  in  strength  for  many 
i  taller,  sturdier  form ;  yet  with  Buster 
he  never  presumed  to  contend.  Truly 
Buster  was  too  formidable  an  adversary 


10  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

for  airy  of  the  boys  lightly' to  engage  him 
in  battle.  The  big,  burly  lad  was  a  kind 
of  king  among  his  associates,  laying  clown 
the  law,  and  sustaining  his  authority  like 
many  another  monarch,  by  the  irresisti- 
ble argument  of  brute  force. 

Poor,  tempted,  sinful  street-vagrants 
as  were  Buster  and  Baby  Jim,  there  yet 
lingered  in  their  hearts  one  feeling  which 
made  them  akin,  though  afar  off,  to  saints 
and  angels,  and  even  proved  them  lost 
and  wandering  children  of  the  God  of 
love. 

A  true,  deep  affection  for  each  other 
had  somehow  sprung  up  and  been  fos- 
tered in  the  midst  of  the  hardening,  mis- 
erable life  they  had  led.  Sharers  of  the 
same  pangs  of  hunger  and  cold,  alike 
neglected  by  all  the  world,  they  had 
grown  doubly  clear  to  each  other  through 
sympathy  in  suffering  and  loneliness. 

Baby  Jim  lost  his  keen,  old  look  when 


THE  BROTHERS.  11 

his  e}Te  fell  admiringly  on  his  brother, 
and  the  innocence  of  infancy  and  the 
softness  of  a  woman  would  for  the  mo- 
ment hover  in  his  face,  beautifying  and 
purifying  it  as  it  spoke  out  the  real  love 
that  was  stirring  within. 

It  was  when  Buster's  arm  was  thrown 
protectingly  round  his  little  companion, 
and  only  then,  that  one  could  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  better  side  of  his  nature. 
At  such  times  the  defiant,  swaggering 
young  bully  would  for  the  moment  show 
that  union  of  strength  and  tenderness,  of 
power  and  forbearance,  which  gives  to  a 
bold  and  manly  character  a  peculiar 
charm. 

It  was  perhaps  as  much  to  their  true 
affection  for  each  other  that  the  brothers 
owed  their  influence  among  their  associ- 
ates, as  to  Buster's  strength  or  the  ac- 
knowledged shrewdness  of  Baby  Jim. 

What  is  true,  noble,  and  good  must 


12  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

ever  have  its  power  over  the  most  aban- 
doned of  men.  While  the  poor  strag- 
gling vagrants  of  the  street  corner  mock- 
ingly gave  to  big  Buster  and  little  Jim 
the  name  of  "the  Twins,"  each  young 
heart  in  secret  yielded  its  tribute  of 
admiration  and  approval  to  the  faithful 
-love  of  the  brothers. 


"BUTTER  AND  EGGS."  13 

CHAPTER  II: 

"BUTTER  AND   EGGS." 

All  that  is  learned  in  the  world  is  not 
gathered  from  books.  A  man  or  boy 
who  will  keep  his  eyes  and  ears  open, 
will  find  out  much  that  was  never  put 
in  print.  Many  of  the  lads  at  the  street 
corner  could  at  the  best  but  spell  out  a 
sign,  or  slowly -read  the  headings  in  great 
letters  on  an  "extra;"  yet  there  was  a 
kind  of  knowledge  afloat  among  them 
which  had  for  them  its  own  use,  not 
always  of  the  most  innocent  kind. 

The  passers-by  did  not  need  to  tell 
these  observing  boys  who  they  were,  or 
what  was  their  business.  A  lawyer,  a 
doctor,  a  merchant,  a  clerk,  or  a  me- 
chanic was  as  well  known  by  them  at  a 
glance,  as  if  he  had  his  occupation  put 


14  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

on  the  band  of  his  hat,  like  the  porters 
of  city  hotels.  They  could  distinguish 
the  up-town  from  the  down-town  peo- 
ple, and  the  "west-enders"  from  "east- 
enders."  Plain  clothing:  could  not  hide 
from  them  the  comfortable,  easy  look  of 
one  who  has  always  had  his  wants  grati- 
fied without  exertion ;  nor  could  the  gay- 
est finery  shut  their  eyes  to  the  empty 
purses  of  the  foolish  women  who  spent 
their  all  to  make  a  fine  show  upon  the 
public  street.  A  countryman  might  try 
to  look  as  much  at  ease  as  he  pleased, 
and  deck  himself  in  new-attire  from  the 
crown  of  his  head  to  the  sole  of  his  feet ; 
they  knew  where  he  came  from,  without 
the  help  of  hob-nailed  shoes  or  homespun 
to  tell  the  story. 

"Butter  and  eggs,''  said  Buster  to 
Baby  Jim  one  day. 

Jim  followed  the  direction  of  his  broth- 
er's finger,  and  saw  a  stout,   cheerful- 


.      "BUTTER  AND  EGGS."  15 

looking  woman  coming  slowly  towards 
the  group  among  which  he  was  standing. 
"Yes/7    said    Jim,    nodding    assent. 
"First  visit  to  the   city.      Full  purse; 
pocket  on  the  left   side  drops  heavy." 
The  subject  of  these  remarks  was  quite 
unconscious  of  any  thing  in  her  appear- 
ance suggestive  either   of  the   dairy  or 
the  farm-yard,  but  of  neither  would  she 
have  dreamed  of  being  ashamed.     She 
did  not  look  like  a  person  to  be  ashamed 
of  any  thing  she  said  or  did.  at  home 
or  abroad.     Her  full  face,  with  its  rosy 
cheeks   and  wide-open  blue    eyes,    was 
beaming  with  truth  and  kindliness.'   She 
felt  no  mortification  about  her  style  of 
dress  truly,  though  a  foolish  city  belle 
would  rather  have  stayed  at  home  from 
church  every  Sunday  for  a  month,  than 
have  worn  that  odd  gray  linen  cottage  bon- 
net, or  that  mouseline  de  laine,  so  perfect 
a  reflection  of  the  fl5wer-garden  in  June. 


16  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

Our  stranger  was  perhaps  a  little  proud 
of  her  appearance,  complacent  at  least, 
but  not  so  far  as  to  despise  others  less 
fortunate  than  herself.    Her  eye  softened 
as  it  fell  on  the  group  of  ragged  boys, 
and  her  hand  instinctively  sought  the 
left-hand  pocket,  where,   as    Jim  had 
rightly  judged,  her  funds  were  reposing. 
Whatever  might  have  been  her  kindly 
intention,  she  was  not  allowed  to  carry  it 
out     There  was  a  stir  among  the  boys 
as  she  approached,  and  Jim  exclaimed 
•■Now  for  it.     Who'll  get  to  the  next 

corner  first  ?" 

At  this  challenge  the  whole  party  set 
off  at  full  speed,  rushing  past  the  stran- 
ger as  if  borne  on  the  wings  of  the  wind 

Unceremoniously  crowded  and  nudged 

by  the  rude  little  crew,  the  good  woman 
could  hardly  keep  her  place  on  the  sac- 
walk,  and  the  glance  she  sent  af  er  them 
expressed  any  thing  but  approval  of  their 


"BUTTER  AND  EGGS."  IT 

proceedings.  Gathering  up  her  dress, 
she  stepped  quickly  on,  making  mean- 
while mental  comparisons  between -the 
manners  of  the  city  and  the  country,  in 
which  the  region  of  butter  and  eggs  had 
the  decided  preference. 

At  the  appointed  corner  the  runners 
stopped.  A  smile  went  round  the  group 
as  Jim  held  up  a  well-filled  purse,  which 
in  the  confusion  he  had  managed  to 
take  from  the  pocket  of  the  country 
woman. 

Buster  struck  it  from  his  hand  to  the 
pavement,  exclaiming,  "  Police  !  Run 
for  your  lives !" 

Jim  and  his  companions  disappeared 
down  an  alley  as  if  made  invisible  by  a 
spell,  while  Buster  stopped,  picked  up 
the  purse,  and  proceeded  to  examine  the 
contents,  as  if  he  felt  himself  in  perfect 
security.  The  strong  hand  of  a  police- 
man was  laid  'upon  his    shoulder,  and 


18  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

there  was  an  exclamation  in  his  ear:  "I 
saw  it  all.  No  lies,  youngster ;  I  know 
your  tricks." 

Buster  had  acted  on  the  impulse  of 
the  moment,  prompted  by  the  desire  to 
save  his  brother ;  and  now,  when  he  found 
himself  a  prisoner,  his  courage  for  a  mo- 
ment forsook  him.  He  knew  that  his 
boasted  strength  was  as  nothing  com- 
pared with  the  powerful  figure  of  the 
policeman.  Swift  and  stinging  were  the 
thoughts  that  rushed  through  his  mind 
as  he  was  hurried  rapidly  along  by  his 
captor.  Already  in  imagination  the  grim 
cold  walls  of  a  prison  were  closing  around 
him ;  already  he  was  cut  off  from  free- 
dom and  sunshine,  and  gazing  sadly  at 
the  small  barred  window  whose  glimmer 
of  light  cast  the  only  brightness  on  his 
dark  lot. 

Buster  was  but  a  lad,  scarce  twelve 
years  old,   and  big  tears  forced  them- 


"BUTTER  AND  LGGS."  19 

selves  into  his  eyes  as  this  gloomy  pic- 
ture presented  itself  to  his  mind. 

The  policeman,  eager  to  overtake  the 
countrywoman,  lost  no  time  in  examin- 
ing the  face  or  studying  the  feelings  of 
the  culprit.  Buster's  tears  were  unno- 
ticed, and  the  hardened,  sullen  look  which 
he  had  summoned  to  conceal  his  fears 
was  all  that  met  the  eye  of  the  officer 
when  at  length  he  paused  beside  the  ob- 
ject of  his  pursuit. 

"Is  this  your  purse,  madam?"  asked 
the  policeman. 

The  woman  put  her  hand  in  her  pock- 
et, and  then  exclaimed,  "That  it  is.  I 
must  have  dropped  it.  I  believe  I  did 
take  out  my  handkerchief  a  piece  back." 

The  little  group  was  here  joined  by  a 
gentleman,  whose  eager  inquiries  were 
soon  answered  by  a  full  account  of  the 
affair  from  the  policeman,  in  which  he 
left  no   doubt  of   Buster's  guilt.      The 


'20  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

stranger  was  not  yet  forty  years  old, 
but  he  had  all  the  dignity  and  wisdom  of 
age,  united  with  the  fresh,  loving  sympa- 
thies of  youth.  A  thorough  Christian  in 
heart  and  life,  like  his  divine  Master,  he 
gave  to  the  sinful  and  unfortunate  his 
most  tender  interest. 

His  glance  was  full  of  yearning  pity 
as  it  fell  on  Buster's  young  face.  The 
boy  looked  up  suddenly  as  the  stranger 
took  his  hand  and  said,  "  I  am  sorry  for 
all  this,  my  little  fellow.  Perhaps  it  may 
not  prove  so  bad  as  it  seems.  Suppose 
you  tell  me  the  truth  about  it.'7 

"I*  did  n't  steal  the  purse,"  said  Bus- 
ter, for  the  first  time  breaking  silence. 

"Just  as  likely  as  not  I  dropped  it. 
I  'm  not  used  to  having  money  about  me 
much,"  said  the  woman,  now  becoming 
uneasy  and  anxious  to  be  through  with 
the  disagreeable  scene.  "Let  the  boy 
go.     I'm  to  be  off  in  the  cars  in  less 


"BUTTER  AND  EGGS."  21 

than  an  hour,  and  can't  stand  here  talk- 
ing. Look  here,  my  lad,  yon  are  young 
to  be  walking  in  bad  ways.  May  the 
Lord  take  care  of  you  and  keep  you  out 
of  sin." 

There  was  real  earnestness  in  the 
woman's  manner,  and  as  she  walked 
quickly  away,  Buster  felt  as  if  he  were 
losing  a  friend. 

"You  don't  get  off  so,"  said  the  offi- 
cer. "I  know  you,  and  you've  got  to 
stand  your  trial  this  time.  It  may  keep 
your  neck  from  the  gallows  to  hide  in 
the  jug  a  while  now ;  so  come  along  with 
me,  and  put  on  a  pleasanter  face,  if  you 
can." 

The  rough,  coarse  manner  of  the  po- 
liceman won  from  Buster  no  reply  but  a 
look  of  blustering  defiance,  while  from 
the  stranger's  glance  he  turned  away,  as 
if  unable  to  answer  its  tender  pity. 


22  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

CHAPTER   III. 

A  RIDE. 

We  will  not  follow  Buster  through  the 
scenes  of  his  trial.  He  could  not  be 
proved  guilty  of  stealing  the  purse;  but 
he  was  unable  to  show  that  he  had  any 
home  or  lawful  way  of  life,  and  it  was 
made  plain  that  the  men  with  whom  he 
was  known  to  associate  were  of  the  most 
suspicious  kind.  He  was  at  the  best  in 
training  for  a  course  of  guilt,  and  the 
strong  arm  of  the  law  was  put  forth  to 
save  the  community  from  one  villain 
more  endangering  its  peace  and  safety. 

Buster  was  not  to  be  sent  to  the 
gloomy  prison  whose  outer  walls  he  had 
so  often  surveyed.  The  stranger,  who 
had  followed  him,  had  gained  permission 
to  take  charge  of  the  young  culprit. 


A  RIDE.  23 

Buster  soon  found  himself  in  a  rail- 
road car.  He  was  a  prisoner,  that  was 
plain,  for  the  stranger  kept  a  kind  but 
firm  hold  of  his  wrist  until  the  train 
started,  and  resumed  it  at  every  stop- 
ping-place. There  was  no  present  chance 
of  escape,  and  Buster,  with  the  natural 
elasticity  of  youth,  began  to  make  the 
best  of  the  circumstances  in  which  he 
found  himself. 

Along  the  banks  of  a  wide  river  the 
swift  cars  were  rapidly  flying.  The  city 
with  its  din  and  bustle  was  soon  left  far 
behind  them,  and  greenness  and  beauty 
took  the  place  of  brick  walls  and  paved 
streets.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life 
Buster  was  in  the  open  country.  There 
was  something  imposing  to  him  in  the 
wide  stretch  of  the  landscape,  the  blue 
mountains  lining  the  distant  horizon,  the 
noble  river  tracing  its  shining  way  mid 
hills  and  meadows,  and  over  all  the  blue, 


24  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

majestic  arch  of  the  clear  summer  sky. 
A  singular  sense  of  littleness  and  loneli- 
ness stole  over  the  heart  of  the  boy.  He 
felt  within  him  nothing  akin  to  this  pu- 
rity and  beauty ;  and  more  welcome  to 
him  then  would  have  been  a  footing  in 
some  narrow  filthy  lane  of  the  city,  than 
the  sight  of  nature  in  its  imposing  gran- 
deur. 

In  the  excitement  that  had  attended 
Buster's  capture  and  trial,  he  had  thought 
but  little  of  his  brother;  but  now,  as  a 
lonely  yearning  crept  over  him,  his  little 
companion  came  naturally  to  his  mind. 
"  Where  was  Baby  Jim?  Would  he  ever 
know  what  had  become  of  Buster  ?" 

The  boy's  face  softened  as  he  dwelt  on 
this  theme,  and  when  the  stranger  turned 
to  look  at  him,  he  was  surprised  at  the 
expression  that  had  taken  the  place  of 
his  hitherto  prevailing  look  of  sullen  de- 
termination. 


A  RIDE.  25 

".What  arc  you  thinking  of,  my  lad? 
You  said  you  had  no  home,  and  did 
not  know  who  your  parents  were,  or  I 
should  fancy  you  were  thinking  of  your 
mother." 

The  gentleman's  voice  and  manner 
were  very  kind,  and  Buster  instinctively 
answered,  "I  didn't  say  I  hadn't  any 
brother." 

"So  you  have  a  brother.  You  need 
not  be  afraid  to  talk  to  me  now.  Noth- 
ing you  say  will  go  against  you  or  him. 
I  think  you  love  your  brother,  from  the 
way  you  looked  when  you  were  thinking 
of  him  just  now,"  said  the  stranger. 

"We've  been  together  always,  him 
and  me.  He  's  a  little  un,  but  knowin. 
I  'm  a'most  twice  as  big,  but  we  are  near 
about  the  same  age,"  said  Buster.  "  It 's 
kind  o'  queer  to  me  not  to  have  him  along. 
It 's  a  lonely  place  out  here,  mister ;  no 
houses  nor  nothin." 


26  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

The  conversation  thus  begun  was  kept 
up,  until  Buster  grew  so  much  at  his  ease 
that  his  companion  easily  won  from  him 
the  story  of  Baby  Jim's  theft,  and  Bus- 
ter's impulsive  thrusting  himself,  into 
clanger  in  his  stead. 

This  confession  prompted  the  stranger 
to  two  silent  prayers.  He  knew  not 
whither  the  young  thief  had  fled,  but  he 
could  follow  him  with  a  petition,  and  beg 
the  God  of  love  to  check  him  in  his  ca- 
reer of  crime,  and  call  him  to  the  paths 
of  virtue  and  peace.  To  Buster  his  heart 
warmed,  and  earnestly  he  prayed  that 
the  kind  natural  feelings  lingering  in  the 
boy's  rough  nature  might  be  cherished, 
and  that,  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
he  might  yet  reflect  the  likeness  of  Him 
who  bore  our  punishment,  and  was  the 
sufficient  sacrifice  and  satisfaction  for  the 
sin  of  the  world. 

A  sudden  checking  of  the  train  an- 


A  RIDE.  27 

nounced  its  approach  to  another  stop- 
ping-place. 

"  We  get  out  here,"  said  Buster's  com- 
panion ;  and  he  led  the  boy  from  the  car. 

A  small  wagon  was  in  waiting.  Ap- 
parently they  were  expected.  Side  by 
side  they  took  their  places,  and  then  the 
driver  started  off  the  horse  at  an  easy 
trot. 

"  Where  be  you  goin  to  take  me?"  said 
Buster,  his  curiosity  at  length  finding 
vent  in  words. 

"There,"  said  the  stranger.  "  We  are 
going  there." 

On  the  top  of  a  high  hill  stood  a  large 
stone  building,  firm  and  substantial,  ris- 
ing, story  upon  story,  until  the  upper 
windows  looked  out  far,  far  over  the 
broad  landscape  on  every  side. 

"This  is  to  be,  for  a  time  at  least, 
your  home,"  continued  Buster's  guide. 

The  boy  was  silent.    Those  stone  walls 


28  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

might  hide  many  a  dark  cell;  perhaps 
there  was  one  in  store  for  him.  Yet  the 
word  "home"  had  a  cheerful  sound;  a 
home  the  poor  lad  never  had  known ;  he 
would  not  banish  the  pleasant  vision  that 
its  bare  mention  had  conjured  up;  he 
would  patiently  wait  until  his  fate  should 
be  made  known  to  him. 


THE  STONE  BUILDING.  29 


CHAPTEE    IV. 

THE  STONE  BUILDING. 

Buster's  heart  beat  fast  as  lie  mount- 
ed the  stone  steps  that  led  to  the  great 
building  that  had  been  pointed  out  to 
him. 

The  door  was  unlocked,  and  he  entered 
with  his  companion. 

Through  a  wide  clean  hall  he  passed 
into  a  neat,  comfortable  parlor,  with  its 
rocking-chairs,  piano,  and  every  mark  of 
comfort. 

"  You  may  sit  here  a  few  moments," 
said  his  companion.  "I  will  return  for 
you  shortly." 

Buster  sat  down  alone  in  the  large 
room,  then  rose,  walked  round  it,  aston- 
ished to  find  himself  on  a  carpeted  floor 


30  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

and    surrounded  by  so   many  signs  of 
plenty. 

He  had  hardly  completed  his  survey 
when  his  conductor  returned.  Sitting 
down  by  him,  the  stranger  said,  "Bus- 
ter, my  boy,  you  ha  ye  had  enough  of  a 
poor,  miserable,  wicked  life.  I  do  n't 
want  you  to  grow  up  to  sin  and  shame. 
I  have  brought  you  here  to  be  taught  to 
do  right,  and  to  learn  to  lead  an  honest, 
useful,  Christian  life.  There  are  mere 
than  three  hundred  bo}Ts  in  this  build- 
ing. Some  of  them,  like  you,  have  never 
had  any  home,  and  some  have  been 
brought  up  in  wicked  homes,  where  they 
have  never  learned  any  thing  good. 
When  they  come  here,  we  wash  them 
and  put  on  them  clean  clothes,  and  tell 
them  we  want  them  to  leave  all  their  dirt 
and  wickedness  behind  them.  My  boy, 
you  have  heard  of  the  great  God  who 
made  you.   He  formed  your  body  by  his 


THE  STONE  BUILDING.  31 

wonderful  power,  and  lie  can  make  your 
bad  heart  pure.  He  can  help  you  to 
leave  off  swearing,  lying,  stealing,  Sab- 
bath-breaking, anger,  and  every  wicked 
way.  I  want  you  to  kneel  down  as  I  do, 
and  I  will  ask  hirn  to  help  you  and  make 
you  better,  for  the  sake  of  his  dear  Son." 

Buster  mechanically  knelt  clown,  but 
kept  his  eyes  open  and  fixed  upon  his 
companion's  face. 

Yery  earnest  was  the  short,  simple 
prayer  that  he  heard  offered  for  him, 
and  love  and  sincerity  were  marked  on 
the  countenance  of  the  speaker.  "You 
aVt  a  sham,  anyhow,"  said  Buster,  as 
the  gentleman  rose  from  his  knees. 

After  a  moment  of  silence,  he  said, 
"Go  now,  my  boy,  with  the  man  you 
will  find  standing  at  the  door.  He  will 
see  that  you  are  properly  washed  and 
dressed,  and  after  that  I  will  show  you 
your  new  home." 


32  BUSTER  AND  BABY' JIM. 

"A'n't  I  going  to  be  shut  up?  You 
wouldn't  come  it  over  me?"  said  Buster. 

"You  will  not  be  shut  up  here,  if  you 
do  as  you  are  told,  and  behave  yourself 
properly.  I  have  not  brought  you  here 
to  punish  you,  but  .to  try  to  make  you 
better,"  was  the  reply. 

"That's  a  queer  dodge,"  said  Buster; 
"a  first-rate  one  though,"  and  with  a 
cheerful  step  he  left  the  room. 

More  than  an  hour  passed  before  Bus- 
ter returned,  so  completely  transformed 
that  Baby  Jim  would  hardly  have  recog- 
nized him.  His  thick  hair  had  been 
cropped  close  to  his  head,  and  his  brown- 
ed, begrimed  face  had  been  washed  un- 
til it  fairly  shone  in  its  cleanliness.  Bus- 
ter moved  but  awkwardly  in  his  new  suit 
of  plain  stout  clothing,  but  he  looked 
approvingly  at  himself  as  he  approached 
the  gentleman  whom  he  now  considered 
quite  as  an  old  friend. 


THE  STONE  BUILDING.  33 

"Now  a'n't  I  a  beater!"  he  exclaimed, 
as  he  surveyed  himself  from  top  to  toe. 

"You  do  look  greatly  improved;  I 
should  hardly  know  you  myself.  See  to 
it  that  you  leave  your  badness  behind 
you  with  those  old  clothes.  Now  give 
me  your  hand,  and  I  '11  show  you  your 
way  over  the  building." 

"Here  is  the  dining-room,"  said  the 
gentleman,  opening  the  door  to  a  large 
hall  where  several  long  lines  of  tables 
were  ranged  in  regular  order.  Great 
slices  of  bread  were  piled  in  pans  that 
were  placed  along  through  the  centre  of 
the  tables,  and  by  each  boy's  plate  stood 
a  bowl  of  good  sweet  milk.  "Here  is 
where  you  will  eat  your  supper  present- 
ly. Do  you  think  you  can  relish  it,  Bus- 
ter?" 

"Now  that  beats  every  thing.  Do 
them  boys  all  eat  here?  My!"  exclaim- 
ed Buster,  lost  in  astonishment  and  admi- 


34  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

ration.  "  Wont  I  lay  in  though,  when  I 
get  a  chance." 

We  will  not  follow  Buster  and  his 
guide  as  they  passed  through  chapel  and 
school-room,  bathing-room  and  work- 
room, until  they  reached  the  large  sleep- 
ing apartment,  when  the  gentleman  again 
paused  to  unlock  the  door.  The  stranger 
used  his  bunch  of  keys  to  open  every 
door ;  this  alone  gave  to  Buster  the  idea 
of  confinement.  This  was  just  what  was 
needed  to  make  him  feel  that  though 
kindly  cared  for,  he  was  still  to  be  under 
wise  control. 

The  door  of  the  large  dormitory  was 
thrown  wide  o|oen.  Cool  breezes  came 
in  through  the  windows,  and  from  white 
scoured  floor  to  white  ceiling  the  air  was 
pure  and  sweet  as  if  it  was  fresh  from 
the  mountain-side.  Everywhere  small 
white  beds  were  standing  in  long  rows 
across  the  room.     "These  are  the  beds 


THE  STONE  BUILDING.  35 

for  the  boys.  Here  is  to  be  your  place, 
number  373.  That's  to  be  your  num- 
ber. I  shall  hope  to  hear  every  thing 
good  of  373,"  said  Buster's  companion. 

Buster  looked  curiously  at  the  bed,  and 
slowly  turned  down  the  spread,  examin- 
ing every  article  of  the  covering;  then 
he  exclaimed,  "You  don't  mean  I  am  to 
sleep  in  there !  why,  I  sha'n't  never  want 
to  get  up.  My!  but  it's  soft."  Buster 
sat  down  suddenly  on  the  edge  of  the 
bed,  and  looking  up  into  the  face  of  his 
friend,  he  said,  "What  makes  you  do 
so  ?  What  makes  you  get  us  boys  and 
serve  us  so,  instead  of  lickin  us  all  to 
pieces,  or  shuttin  us  up  in  the  jug,  or 
just  kickin  us  and  lettin  us  go  ?" 

"Buster,"  began  the  stranger,  "listen 
to  me  and  I  will  answer  your  question 
truly."  The  boy's  attention  was  caught, 
and  his  heart  softened.  He  listened — ■ 
listened  with  tears  in  his  eyes,   as  he 


36  BUSTER  AND  BAB.Y  JIM. 

heard  the  story  of  the  Saviour's  love, 
how  He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost,  and  had  bidden  his  true 
followers  to  go  and  do  likewise. 

"And  you  do  it.  You  go  into  it 
strong,"  said  Buster  as  his  companion 
ceased  speaking.  Eough  and  unsuitable 
as  seemed  his  comment,  he  yet  had  felt 
and  understood  what  had  been  said  to 
him. 

' !  You  will  try,  my  boy,  to  learn  to  be 
better,  wont  you  ?"  said  the  gentleman. 

"I  wish  Baby  Jim  was  in  that  'ere 
bed,  long  side  o'  mine.  Then  I  could 
turn  in,  and  feel  about  right,"  said  Bus- 
ter, following  out  his  own  train  of  thought. 

"When  you  go  to  bed  every  night, 
kneel  down  by  that  bed,  and  say,  '  God 
bless  me,  and  help  me  to  be  a  good  boy, 
for  Christ's  sake.  God  bless  my  brother 
Jim,  and  help  him  to  be  a  good  boy ;'  and 
may -be  it  will  all  come  out  right  before 


THE  STONE  BUILDING.  31 

you  expect  it.  The  great  God  who  sees 
you  and  me,  sees  your  little  brother,  and 
can  watch  over  him  and  keep  him  from 
evil." 

"I  was  n't  thinkin  about  keepin  him 
from  evil ;  he  takes  to  that  most  too  nat- 
'ral.  I  wish  I  had  him  though,  there  in 
that  bed,  and  I  'cl  tell  him  I  'd  thrash  the 
skin  off  from  him  if  he  clicl  n't  mind  just 
what  you  say ;  for  I  hold  to  it,  you  are 
the  right  kind  of  a  man,  just  uncommon 
different  from  any  I  ever  come  across 
before.  Eh,  do  you  think  it 's  about  time 
for  them  bo}rs  to  be  lajdn  in  with  the 
bread  and  milk  ?     1 7m  ready." 

Buster  folded  his  hands  that  evening 
with  more  than  three  hundred  boys, 
while  the  blessing  of  G-od  was  asked  on 
the  simple  bountiful  meal  before  them. 
Very  heartily  prayed  his  friend  that  poor 
Buster  might  be  fed  with  the  bread  from 
heaven,  and  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 


38  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  HON.    MR.  B . 

It  was  hard  for  Buster  to  accommo- 
date himself  to  the  regular  life  of  his 
new  abode.  To  eat  and  sleep,  go  out 
and  come  in,  study  and  play,  lie  down 
and  rise  up,  work  and  stop  working,  by 
the  clock,  were  new  things  indeed,  after 
the  wandering  habits  into  which  the  poor 
boy  had  fallen.  Yet  to  all  this  he  be- 
came by  degrees  accustomed,  and  even 
this  outward  training  took  from  him 
somewhat  of  the  wild,  reckless  air  which 
had  marked  him  before.  In  the  work- 
room and  in  the  class,  Buster  showed 
any  thing  but  stupidity,  and  yet  the 
friend  who  had  placed  him  in  this  kindly 
asylum  was  still  anxiously  watching  for 
some  more  satisfactory  signs  of  improve* 


THE  HON.  MR.  B .  39 

ment.  In  vain  he  inquired,  week  after 
week,  for  good  news  about  Buster.  The 
boy  often  proved  turbulent  and  unman- 
ageable, and  more  than  once  he  had  un- 
dergone the  severest  punishments  in  use 
at  the  institution.  Buster  was,  through 
the  force  of  circumstances,  slightly  al- 
tered ;  but  it  was  plain  that  he  needed 
but  to  be  exposed  again  to  temptation, 
to  fall  back  into  all  his  evil  practices. 

Buster  had  been  for  several  months  at 
the  asylum,  when  the  boys  were  one  day 
summoned  to  the  chapel  at  an  unusual 
h®ur.  In  they  marched  to  the  sound  of 
music,  keeping  time,  and  stepping  as 
truly  as  well-trained  soldiers.  Leading 
one  of  the  long  files  came  Buster,  his 
head  erect  and  his  great  black  eyes  wan- 
dering hither  and  thither  as  if  asking 
what  was  the  provocation  for  this  extra- 
ordinary assembly. 

The  boys  were  hardly  seated  when  the 


40  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

superintendent  introduced  to  them  the 

Hon.  Mr.  B of  Ohio.     At  a  given 

signal  they  all  rose  and  politely  acknow- 
ledged the  introduction. 

Mr.  B— —  was  a  splendid  specimen  of 
Christian  manhood.  His  tall  and  strong- 
ly built  figure  at  once  attracted  Buster's 
attention  and  won  his  unqualified  appro- 
val ;  nor  could  the  boy  help  owning  to 
himself  that  the  face  of  the  stranger  was 
as  attractive  as  his  well-knit  form. 

The  many  voices  of  the  children  blend- 
ed in  a  cheerful  hymn  of  praise,  and  as 

Mr.  B listened  to  the  holy  words 

they  so  sweetly  sang,  the  unbidden  tears 
clouded  his  eyes.  Bank  upon  rank,  line 
upon  line,  rose  the  heads  of  the  singers. 

In  thought  Mr.  B. wandered  to  the 

scenes  of  vice  and  misery  from  which 
these  poor  children  had  been  rescued, 
and  angels'  work  indeed  it  seemed  to 
him  to  have  gathered   these  neglected 


THE  HON.  MR.  B .  41 

outcasts  and  taught  them  even  with  the 
lips  to  praise  the  God  of  heaven.  In  a 
kind  of  touching  recitative  rose  those 
beautiful  words  of  commendation  which 
the  Lord  is  said  to  address  to  those  on 
his  right  hand  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
When  the  children  came  to  the  closing 
sentence,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  breth- 
ren,  ye   have   done    it   unto   me,"  Mr. 

B could  almost  imagine  the  Saviour 

bodily  present  among  them  and  speaking 
himself  the  sacred  words  that  came  from 
the  lips  of  the  singers. 

A  Saviour  near  at  hand  he  seemed ; 

and  when  Mr.  B rose  to  call  upon 

him  in  prayer,  he  spoke  to  him  as  One 
in  the  midst  of  them,  yearning  with  his 
almighty  heart  of  love  fully  to  take  to 
his  bosom  these  the  least  of  his  Hock,  yet 
precious  above  all  price  in  his  eyes. 

When  the  prayer  was  over,  Mr.  B 


42  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

knew  that  lie  was  expected  to  make  an 
address  to  the  children.  In  many  public 
places  and  before  many  critical  audiences 
had  his  eloquent  voice  been  heard,  yet 
now  there  was  a  sense  of  choking  in  his 
throat,  and  a  growing  feeling  of  inability 
to  say  what  he  wished  to  the  young  hear- 
ers before  him.  Like  the  Syrophenician 
woman,  he  humbly  prayed  in  silence, 
"Lord,  help  me."  He  felt  that  the  mes- 
sage must  come  from  God,  if  it  should  be 
blessed  to  do  the  work  for  which  he  was 
yearning. 

The   superintendent  glanced   at   Mr. 

B ,  and  saw  by  the  working  of  his 

fine  face  that  just  now  he  was  too  much 
moved  to  give  vent  to  his  feelings  in 
words. 

"Boys,"  began  the  superintendent, 
"  let  me  tell  you  that  the  gentleman  who 
is  to  speak  to  you  to-day  has  spoken  to 
thousands  of  men,  of  grown  men,  and 


THE  HON.  MR.  B .  43 

they  have  listened  with  delighted  atten- 
tion. In  the  State  he  comes  from,  he  is 
looked  up  to  more  than  if  he  were  the 
governor.  I  like  to  show  him  to  you  as 
a  Christian  gentleman,  one  to  whom  God 
has  given  health,  talent,  and  wealth,  and 
he  delights  to  use  them  all  to  work  for 
his  heavenly  Master.    Boys,  listen  to  Mr. 

B .     It  may  never  fall  to  your  lot  to 

hear  such  a  man  again." 

Mr.  B stepped  out  beyond  the 

desk  which  stood  upon  the  raised  plat- 
form where  he  had  been  sitting.  With 
his  powerful  figure  in  full  sight,  and  his 
strongly-marked  kindly  face  looking  lov- 
ingly upon  them,  he  began. 

"My  lads,  your  superintendent  has 
spoken  in  my  praise.  Let  us  grant  that 
what  he  has  said  is  true,  true  as  far  as 
the  world  knows  any  thing  of  me ;  yet  in 
my  closet  I  must  bow  the  knee  and  cry 
like  you,  'God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 


44  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

ner.'  Boys,  I  will  tell  you  a  story.  I 
knew  a  child  once,  a  poor,  wandering, 
homeless  child,  who  had  no  mother  to 
rock  him  on  her  knee,  no  father  to  earn 
him  daily  bread.  His  little  tender  hands 
soon  learned  to  steal,  his  "baby  lips  could 
speak  an  oath  and  laugh  while  he  was 
speaking.  "What  wonder  that  he  grew  in 
wickedness  as  he  gained  in  years  ?  I  will 
not  tell  you  how  he  went  from  step  to 
step,  till  his  young  heart  was  hardened 
in  sin.  Perhaps  some  of  you  may  know 
too  well  the  evil  path  he  trod.  That  path 
ended,  as  it  must  surely  end,  in  misery. 
He  found  himself  shut  up  within  damp, 
gloomy  prison  walls.  No  pleasant  sun- 
shine to  cheer  him  now ;  no  friendly 
voice  to  bid  him  take  courage.  Two 
long  years  he  was  to  spend  in  dreary 
confinement.  He  bowed  his  head  upon 
his  hands  and  cried  as  if  his  heart  would 
break.     There  were  no  rough  compan- 


THE  HON.  MR.  B .  45 

ions  round  him  now  to  laugh  at  his  bitter 
tears.  There  was  no  gentle  hand  to  wipe 
those  tears  away.  Alone,  alone  in  his 
guilty  misery  sat  the  wicked  orphan-boy. 
So  the  wretched  days  and  weeks  came 
and  went.  One  morning  there  was  a  vis- 
itor in  his  lonely  cell.  A  kind  motherly 
face  was  bending  over  the  poor  hardened 
boy.  He  would  not  answer  her  gentle 
words ;  he  would  not  look  into  her  lov- 
ing eyes.  Yet  she  came  again  and  again. 
Sickness  seized  upon  the  weak  frame  of 
the  prisoner.  She  nursed  him  as  tender- 
ly as  if  he  had  been  one  of  the  sweet  chil- 
dren of  her  own  comfortable  home.  She 
made  him  love  her;  he  could  not  help  it; 
and  when  by  and  by  she  talked  to  him 
of  the  precious  Saviour  who  had  sent  her 
to  his  side,  he  learned  to  love  that  Sav- 
iour too. 

"One  long  year  passed,  and  then  an- 
other, and  at  last  the  prisoner  was  free 


46  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

once  more.  He  might  go  where  he  would, 
and  find  for  himself  a  home.  Did  lie' turn 
back  to  the  wretched  alleys  he  knew? 
Did  he  seek  the  old  sinners  who  had  led 
him  astray  before?  No;  he  had  his  Bi- 
ble in  his  hand  and  his  God  overhead. 
There  was  no  such  path  for  him  now. 
Straight  for  the  open  country  he  went. 
On,  on  he  walked,  till  the  city  was  far 
behind  him.  He  used  his  right  hand  for 
honest  labor  by  day,  by  night  he  contin- 
ued his  journey.  In  the  wide  West  he 
found  a  resting-place.  No  one  knew  him 
there.  There  he  began  his  new  life. 
God  had  forgiven  him  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  he  could  cheerfully  bear  poverty 
and  hard  work,  knowing  that  he  had  a 
sure  home  in  heaven. 

"  God  blessed  that  poor  lad,  and  gave 
.him  friends  and  a  home  and  wealth,  and 
even  some  share  of  this  world's  honors. 
He  stands  before  you  now,  and  thanks 


THE  HON.  ME.  B .  47 

his  heavenly  Father  for  all  his  mercies. 
I  have  been  telling  you  my  own  life,  my 
boys.  I  know  what  it  is  to  be  poor  and 
homeless  and  tempted  and  wicked.  These 
are  strong  enemies,  but  G.ocl  is  stronger. 
He  can  help  you,  if  you  will  but  fight  on 
the  right  side.  God  can  cleanse  you  and 
strengthen  you  and  bring  you  off  con- 
querors. He  will  forgive  you  for  the 
sake  of  his  dear  Son  who  died  on  the 
cross  for  you.  He  will  help  you  to  lead 
a  new  life.  You  will  have  a  hard  strug- 
gle for  it,  but  you  will  win  if  you  fight 
bravely.  The  coward  gains  no  battle. 
He  who  is  afraid  to  begin,  will  never  end 
with  honor.  My  clear  boys,  let  this  clay 
be,  at  least  for  one  of  you,  the  most  im- 
portant day  you  have  ever  known.  Go 
in  secret  to  the  great  God  of  heaven. 
Ask  him,  for  his  Son's  sake,  to  blot  out 
all  your  sins,  and  help  you  to  live  a  new 
and  better  life. 


48  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

"May  the  Holy  Spirit  Mess  to  you 
these  words  of  mine ;  and  when  you  shall 
have  triumphed  over  sin  and  shame,  may 
you  take  poor  wandering  children  by  the 
hand,  and  lead  .them  to  the  feet  of  Jesus. 
Let  us  pray." 

As  sincerely,  humbly,  earnestly,  and 
trustfully  as  when  he  first  knelt  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  Mr.  B now  sought  for- 
giveness for  himself  and  the  children  in 
whose  name  he  spoke.  One  young  heart, 
at  least,  went  with  him.  For  the  first 
time,  Buster  prayed,  "God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner.  Cleanse  thou  me,  and  I 
shall  be  clean.  Wash  me,  and  I  shall 
be  whiter  than  snow.'7 

To  Buster  it  now  seemed  possible  that 
even  for  such  as  he  there  was  an  upward 
path.  God  helping  him,  from  this  day 
forward  he  would  leave  his  evil  de^ds 
behind  him,  and  strive  to  be  a  true  ser- 
vant of  Christ. 


PARTING.  49 

CHAPTER   VI. 

PARTING. 

We  have  seen  the  beginning  of  a  Chris- 
tian life,  the  tiny  grain  of  mustard-seed 
taking  root  in  poor  Buster's  heart.  This 
was  the  commencement  of  a  good  work, 
but  it  was  truly  only  the  commencement. 

Mr.  B had  rightly  said  the  struggle 

was  a  hard  one.  Old  habits  and  old 
temptations  would  rise  again  when  they 
seemed  almost  conquered,  and  new  faults 
sprung  up  where  others  had  been  sub- 
dued.    Yet  Buster  persevered. 

Two  years  Buster  continued  at  the 
Asylum,  before  his  kind  friends  dared  to 
trust  him  away  from  their  watchful  eyes 
and  timely  counsel.  At  length  there 
was  a  new  party  of  boys  starting  for  the 
West,  to  find  homes  among  the  farmers 


50  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

of  the  fast  growing  states.  Busters  name 
was  on  the  list.  As  Buster  he  still  was 
known,  but  in  solemn  baptism  he  had 
taken  the  Christian  name  of  Paul.  He 
chose  to  be  called  after  the  great  apostle, 
who,  though  counting  himself  the  chief 
of  sinners,  had  yet  through  the  grace  of 
God  become  among  the  chief  of  saints. 

Again  Buster  was  to  take  a  journey, 
far,  far  longer  than  the  ride  in  the  swift 
cars  that  had  brought  him  to  his  late 
home.  What  a  change  had  been  wrought 
in  him  since,  rough,  wicked,  and  reckless, 
he  entered  those  sheltering  walls.  The 
friend  who  had  then  been  his  guide  was 
now  with  him  to  bid  him  farewell. 

Buster  took  the  hand  that  was  stretch- 
ed out  to  hinij  and  grasping  it  in  both  of 
his,  he  exclaimed,  "God  will  bless  you, 
sir.  I  can't  thank  you.  I  don't  know 
how  to  say  what  I  feel.  I  owe  every 
thing  to  you.     I  '11  try  to  do  you  credit. 


PARTING.  51 

May-be  you  711  hear  of  me  one  of  these 
days.7' 

"  I  trust  I  shall  see  you  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  rejoicing  among  the  re- 
deemed,7' said  his  companion  with  great 
earnestness.  "  Be  watchful  and  humble, 
my  lad.  Hold  fast  to  your  Bible.  Be 
faithful  in  prayer.  Eesist  the  very  be- 
ginnings of  evil,  the  angry  look,  the  pro- 
fane word,  the  touching  of  the  slightest 
trifle  that  is  not  your  own.  God  bless 
you,  and  bring  you  off  conqueror." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Buster,  humbly. 
"But  Oh,  sir,  you  will  keep  a  watch  for 
him?  May-be  he'll  turn  up  yet.  Ee- 
member,  blue  eyes,  and  curly  brown  hair, ' 
small  and  slender,  and  an  old,  smart  look 
in  his  face.  That  's  he,  that  's  Baby 
Jim.'7 

What  was  it  that  unnerved  the  great 
strong  boy  ?  His  hands  trembled  as  they 
gave  that  final  grasp  at  parting.    Ah,  the 


52  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

Christian  brother  but  yearned  the  more 
tenderly  for  the  companion  of  his  child- 
hood, and  longed  to  know  him  snatched 
from  those  evil  paths  whose  end  is  death. 

"  I  will  pray  for  him,  and  watch  for- 
him,  my  boy.     Trust  him  to  the  Lord, 
and  labor  to  be  a  brother  who  shall  be 
a  fit  guide  and  example  for  him  when  we 
shall  have  found  him." 

Buster  heard  the  parting  words,  and 
answered,  "Aye,  aye,  that 's  what  I  will." 
Then  with  another  "good-by,"  he  sprang 
into  the  cars  that  were  to  bear  him  away 
to  the  scene  of  his  future  life. 


A  WESTERN  PARMER.  53 

CHAPTER  VII, 

A  WESTERN  FARMER, 

aAmong  the  thirty  lads  who  were  start- 
ing for  the  West,  there  was  not  one  more 
full  of  hope  than  was  the  tall  stout  boy 
whom  we  have  known  as  Buster.  As 
mile  after  mile  was  left  behind  him,  he 
breathed  more  and  more  freely.  Sepa- 
rated from  the  scenes  of  his  early  guilt, 
he  felt  it  to  be  more  and  more  possible 
for  him  to  lead  the  life  he  desired. 

Where  would  his  lot  fall  ?  What  home 
would  be  his?  To  these  questions  Bus- 
ter could  give  no  answer ;  but  he  found 
vent  for  the  feelings  of  his  heart  by  sing- 
ing in  a  low  voice  the  hymn, 

"  Father,  whate'er  of  earthly  bliss 
Thy  sovereign  will  denies, 
Accepted  at  thy  throne  of  grace, 
Let  this  petition  rise 


54  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

"  Give  me  a  calm,  a  thankful  heart, 
From  every  murmur  free  ; 
The  blessings  of  thy  grace  impart, 
And  let  me  live  to  thee. 

"Let  the  sweet  hope  that  I  am  thine 
My  life  and  death  attend  ; 
Thy  presence  through  my  journey  shine* 
And  crown  my  journey's  end." 

Buster's  hymn  attracted  no  attention 
amid  the  Babel  of  sounds  made  by  the 
excited,  rejoicing  boys.  The  kind  friend 
who  had  charge  of  them  did  not  check 
the  natural  outburst  of  their  feelings,  but 
sat  among  them  enjoying  the  various 
ways  in  which  they  chose  to  manifest 
their  glee. 

Somewhat  sobered  down  by  the  long 
journey,  the  boys  at  length  reached  their 
first  stopping-place,  at  a  small  town  in 
the  centre  of  a  rich  farming  country. 
They  were  expected,  that  was  plain;  for 
many  rough  wagons  were  tied  along  the 
principal  street,  while  their  owners  join- 


A  WESTERN  FARMER-.  55 

ed  the  deputation  of  the  citizens  who 
were  at  the  depot  to  give  the  young 
strangers  a  welcome. 

On  the  large  public  square  an  agricul- 
tural fair  had  lately  been  held,  and  the 
seats  provided  for  the  ladies  were  still 
standing.  On  these  the  boys  were  placed, 
while  an  abundant  luncheon  was  passed 
round  for  their  refreshment.  Then  fol- 
lowed some  singing  by  the  children,  and 
a  speech  from  the  gentleman  who  had 
them  in  charge.  He  simply  stated  the 
plan  of  the  institution  from  which  they 
had  come,  and  offered  to  the  farmers  as- 
sembled an  opportunity  of  sharing  in  the 
Christlike  work  of  redeeming  these  poor 
wanderers  from  a  life  of  want  and  crime, 
and  training  them  in  honest  homes. 
Wherever  they  went,  they  were  to  be 
received  as  members  of  the  family. 
They  were  to  be  encouraged  to  show  by 
their  conduct  what  they  were,  forgetting 


56  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

whence  they  came  and  what  they  had 
been. 

While  the  gentleman  was  speaking, 
many  scrutinizing  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
the  eager  faces  of  the  boys.  Up  and 
down  before  the  rising  seats  walked  a 
small  short  man,  with  his  head  on  one 
side  as  he  looked  systematically  at  every 
boy,  allowing  to  each  his  fair  time  to 
make  an  agreeable  impression.  It  was 
evident  that  the  good  man  was  seeking 
a  new  member  for  his  household,  and 
meant  to  be  careful  in  the  selection. 
The  process  seemed  to  be  an  exciting 
one,  for  he  soon  took  off  his  homespun 
coat  and  threw  it  over  his  arm,  and 
pushed  his  felt  hat  back  on  his  head,  so 
that  his  wide  forehead  might  have  the 
full  benefit  of  the  breeze.  There  was 
shrewdness  in  his  small  clear  blue  eyes 
and  long,  sharp  nose ;  but  the  quizzical, 
kindly  expression  about  the  mouth  was 


A  WESTERN  FARMER.  5? 

sufficient  to  reassure  the  stranger  who 
might  at  first  be  afraid  to  find  him  close 
at  a  bargain.  He  soon  became  a  great 
favorite  among  the  boys,  and  cries  of 
'J Take  me,"  "I'm  the  chap  for  you," 
sounded  out  from  the  lines  as  he  pursued 
his  methodical  examination. 

Before  Buster  the  little  farmer  at 
length  made  a  decided  stand.  "  Would 
I  suit  you?  Do  you  think  you  could 
close  hands  with  me  ?"  he  said  confiden- 
tially. 

Buster  reached  his  big  hand  over  the 
heads  of  the  little  boys  below  him,  and 
gave  the  inquirer  a  hearty  grasp  as  he 
replied,  "First-rate." 

"All  settled,"  said  the  farmer,  going 
back  to  the  crowd  and  listening  as  faith- 
fully to  the  concluding  remarks  of  the 
speaker  as  if  he  intended  to  report  them 
for  the  county  newspaper.  A  report  of 
the  speech  he  knew  he  would  have  to 


58  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

give  to  one  person  at  least,  and  that  a 
party  whom  he  was  far  more  anxious  to 
please  than  the  uncertain  public,  who 
might  applaud  to-day  and  decry  to-mor- 
row. 

"My  Mrs.  Jillard,"  as  he  was  wont  to 
call  his  wife,  would  demand  a  circum- 
stantial account  of  that  day's  proceed- 
ings, he  was  sure,  and  he  meant  to  be 
prepared  upon  at  least  one  department 
in  which  he  would  be  examined. 

No  objection  being  made  to  Mr.  Jil- 
lard's  selection  by  the  gentleman  in  charge 
of  the  boys,  the  worthy  farmer  seemed 
inclined  to  carry  off  his  prize  at  once. 

"Then  we  may  as  well  be  moving," 
he  exclaimed,  taking  Buster  protectively 
by  the  arm.  Buster  was  a  full  half  head 
taller  than  his  new  acquaintance,  and 
would  have  been  a  dangerous  enemy  for 
him  in  a  pitched  battle ;  and  the  big  boy 
could  hardly  help  smiling  at  the  tender, 


A  WESTERN  FARMER.  59 

careful  way  in  which  he  was  taken  in 
hand. 

Mr.  Jillarcl  had  proposed  the  move, 
and  yet  he  lingered  and  kept  fumbling 
meditatively  in  his  coat  pocket.  It  was 
plain  that  he  felt  he  was  making  a  bar- 
gain in  which  the  advantage  was  too 
much  on  his  side,  and  yet  he  did  not 
know  how  to  mend  the  matter.  At  length 
he  broke  out,  "It  seems  as  if  I  ought  to 
do  something.  I  do  n't  like  to  pay  mon- 
ey. That  looks  ugly,  as  if  I  bought  the 
boy.  But  see  here ;  may  n't  I  give  you 
something  to  go  to  clothing  and  feeding 
some  poor  little  chap  that 's  just  picked 
out  of  the  gutter,  and  isn't  fit  to  be  let 
loose  on  honest  folks  ?  Hicks  Jillarcl 
would  like  to  have  that  ten  dollar  note 
put  to  that  account. '  Will  that  be  all 
right?" 

Mr.  Jillard's  contribution  was  cheer- 
fully received,  and  he  had  the  promise 


60  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

of  a  letter  describing  the  boy  for  whose 
benefit  it  should  be  used. 

"Now  for  it,"  said  the  farmer*  and 
starting  off  at  a  round  rate,  he  soon 
made  Buster  realize  that  he  would  have 
to  be  a  fast  walker  if  he  kept  up  with 
him. 

At  a  post  where  two  quiet  farm-horses 
were  tied,  Mr.  Jillard  stopped.  "Were 
you  ever  on  a  horse,  boy  ?  What  's  your 
name  ?" 

"Never,  but  I  should  n't  mind  trying," 
said  Buster,  his  eyes  sparkling. 

"What's  your  name?"  repeated  the 
questioner. 

"Buster  I've  always  been  called;  but 
I  was  baptized  Paul  just  before  I  left 
home,"  said  the  boy. 

"Baptized;  I  like  that,"  said  Mr,  Jil- 
lard. "A  good  beginning.  Hold  to  it, 
and  don't  go  backwards.  Breaking  is 
dangerous  in  boys  as  well   as   horses. 


A  WESTERN  FARMER  6] 

Paul  Jillarcl,  that's  your  name.  Can 
you  write  ?■' 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Buster  promptly. 

"Then  write  Paul  Jillarcl  in  your 
books.  Do  n't  cut  P.  J.  now  everywhere, 
as  if  you  owned  all  the  world  and  want- 
ed to  put  your  mark  on  it.  I  don't  hold 
to  that.  Knives  have  their  uses ;  but  this 
cutting  of  letters  round  is  putting  good 
tools  to  a  bad  job.  Yes,  Paul  Jillard  is 
your  name,  but  I  shall  call  you  Buster, 
because  you  are  used  to  it;  my  Mrs. 
Jillard  may  do  as  she  pleases.  Now  get 
up  on  to  that  horse  as  quick  as  you  can. 
She  '11  be  expecting  us." 

Buster  made  several  vain  attempts  to 
mount  from  the  ground,  while  Mr.  Jillard 
looked  on  laughing  till  his  eyes  were  full 
of  tears.  "There,  now,  why  can't  you 
do  as  I  do?"  said  the  farmer,  hopping 
lightly  to  the  back  of  the  other  tall  horse. 

Buster  watched  the  operation  closely, 


62  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

and  managed  to  follow  at  once  with  a 
tolerable  imitation. 

"Here,  so,"  said  Mr.  Jillard,  telling 
Buster  how  to  hold  the  reins.  ''Sit 
steady.     Do  n't  be  afraid." 

"With  no  further  preface  or  prepara- 
tion, Mr.  Jillard  started  off  his  horse  at 
a  round  trot,  and  its  "match"  briskly 
kept  it  company.  Buster  had  his  own 
qualms  as  he  felt  himself  fairly  borne 
along  without  the  exercise  of  his  own 
will;  but  he  was  determined  to  acquit 
himself  bravely,  and  did  not  once  call 
out  for  quarter  during  the  five  minutes 
in  which  the  unmerciful  trotting  was 
kept  up. 

"  Now  we  '11  take  it  slower,"  said  Mr. 
Jillard,  slackening  his  own  pace.  "You'll 
feel  easier  for  finding  you  can  ride  fast 
without  falliug  off.  We  've  ten  miles  be- 
fore us,  so  we  must  n't  tire  out  too  much 
at  the  start." 


A  WESTERN  PARMER.  63 

By  the  time  the  ten  miles  were  over, 
Buster  felt  as  if  he  and  Mr.  Jillard  were 
old  acquaintances.  All  dread  of  meeting 
the  farmer's  wife  had  been  overcome  by 
various  remarks  concerning  her  which 
the  proud  husband  had  let  fall  during 
the  ride.  In  his  heart  Buster  already 
thanked  God  that  the  lines  had  fallen 
unto  him  "in  pleasant  places." 


64  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

MRS.  JILLARD. 

Mr.  Jillard's  farm  had  no  fanciful 
name.  It  had  never  been  called  Wood- 
land, after  the  primeval  forest  that  tow- 
ered just  beyond  the  wheat-fields,  nor 
Clear-springs,  for  the  bright  water  that 
welled  up  on  every  hill-side  and  danced 
its  way  to  the  valleys  below.  Mr.  Jillard 
was  content  to  talk  about  "our  house," 
without  having  the  great  red  wooden 
building  photographed  to  put  at  the  head 
of  his  letters  or  to  frame  and  hans;  in  his 
clean  parlor. 

It  was  just  sunset  when  Buster's  first 
ride  on  horseback  was  over,  and  his 
"gallant  steed"  walked  quietly  into  a 
barn-yard  and  held  up  his  head  at  his 
accustomed   post.      Buster  would  have 


MRS.  JILLARD  65 

found  dismounting  a  stiff  and  awkward 
business,  if  Mr.  Jillard  had  not  come  to 
him,  saying,  "I'll  help  you  to-day;  next 
time  you  must  get  clown  as  spry  as  I 
do." 

Just  as  Buster  stood  fairly  on  the 
ground,  his  attention  was  fixed  by  a  fig- 
ure which  came  round  the  corner  of  tho 
barn.  Mrs.  Jillard  had  been  milking 
and  in  each  hand  she  held  a  full  bucket, 
which  showed  her  abundant  success. 
Thus  doubly  balanced,  she  could  move 
but  slowly,  a  gait  which  well  suited  her 
tall,  comely  figure.  Her  round  face  was 
pink  with  the  flush  of  health,  and  the 
kindly  dimples  were  dotting  her  cheeks 
as  she  exclaimed, 

"Home  again,  Hicks.  You  are  a 
punctual  fellow.  And  this  is  the  boy. 
You  are  right  welcome,  my  lad.  Here, 
take  the  buckets,  Hicks,  and  let  me  shake 
him  by  the  hand." 


86  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

Buster  stood  aghast  as  that  kind  hon- 
est face  beamed  full  upon  him.  He  too 
well  remembered  it.  The  scene  at  the 
street  corner  rushed  back  upon  his  mem- 
ory. The  cry,  "Butter  and  eggs,"  the 
race,  the  arrest,  all,  all  were  present  tc 
him. 

"Bashful,  I  suppose.  Poor  boy,"  said 
Mrs.  Jillard  to  her  husband,  as  Buster 
hung  down  his  head  and  did  not  offer  to 
take  the  outstretched  hand. 

"There 's  no  accounting  for  boys,"  said 
the  farmer  in  a  low  voice.  "Why,  we've 
been  just  like  chums  all  along  the  way. 
I  never  saw  anybody  either  that  did  n't 
take  to  you  before.  I  believe  he  's  tired 
all  to  pieces,  and  just  feels  it  getting  off 
the  horse.  Supper  '11  make  him  all 
right." 

Neither  supper  nor  Mrs.  Jillard's  kind 
efforts  to  draw  him  into  conversation 
could  bring  all  right  with  poor  Buster 


MRS.  JILLARD.  61 

He  was  glad  when  he  was  sent  off  to  his 
sleeping  quarters,  to  get  rid  of  his  sup- 
posed fatigue  and  consequent  shyness. 

"This  is  to  be  your  room,  Buster," 
said  Mrs.  Jillard,  as  she  opened  the  door 
into  a  small  chamber,  the  very  picture 
of  neatness  and  comfort.  ' '  Stay  in  it  as 
much  as  you  please,  when  you  are  not  at 
work ;  but  leave  your  boots  at  the  door ; 
that  will  keep  the  floor  clean,  you  see. 
Good-night,  my  boy.  Do  n't  forget  your 
prayers.  May  God  bless  you  in  your 
new  home.''* 

Poor  Buster!  every  added  word  of 
kindness  was  as  a  dagger  sending  anoth- 
er pang  to  his  bleeding  heart. 

Mrs.  Jillard  set  the  candle  down  on 
the  small  bureau,  and  withdrew.  Buster 
turned  the  button  which  was  the  only 
fastening  to  the  door,  and  then  he  bowed 
his  head  upon  his  hands,  in  utter  misery. 
Here,  where  he  had  hoped  to  begin  a 


68  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

new,  an  honest,  and  an  honored  life,  his 
sins  had  found  him  out.  In  the  home 
where  he  had  been  so  warmly  received, 
he  must  ever  be  reminded  of  his  guilty 
career.  It  could  be  no  pure  and  perfect 
home  to  him.  In  the  bitterness  of  his 
spirit,  he  longed  for  those  heavenly  man- 
sions where  sin  and  sorrow  are  known 
no  more,  and  where  nothing  can  be  laid 
to  the  charge  of  God's  elect,  who  are  for 
ever  clothed  in  the  white  robes  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Faint-hearted, 
he  sank  down  in  despair.  He  could  not, 
through  long  years,  bear  the  burden  of 
his  sin  and  shame,  and  the  deep  cry  of 
his  soul  was,  "Oh  that  I  had  wings,  like 
a  dove!  for  then  would  I  fly  away,  and 
be  at  rest," 

Slowly,  very  slowly,  comfort  came  to 
Buster.  In  grateful  humility,  he  was  at 
length  enabled  to  see  that  it  was  little, 
comparatively,  that  he  should  here  be 


MRS.  JILLARD.  CO 

even  branded  as  having  once  belonged 
to  a  gang  of  young  villains,  while  his 
eternal  punishment  had  been  laid  upon 
One  who  had  for  his  sake  been  willing* 
to  be  nailed  to  the  cruel  cross.  Relying 
on  that  Saviour,  he  would  go  forward  on 
his  pilgrimage,  striving  to  bear  patiently 
his  appointed  trials. 

But  would  Mrs.  Jillard  tolerate  him 
under  her  roof?  It  was  plain  she  had 
not  yet  recognized  him.  Was  he  so  al- 
tered that  she  might  never  remember  to 
have  seen  him  before  ?  Would  it  be  just 
and  right  to  be  daily  receiving  her  kind- 
ness with  such  a  secret  in  his  heart  ?  It 
had  been  specially  agreed  that  no  ques- 
tions should  be  asked  of  the  boys  as  to 
their  past  lives:  why  should  Mrs.  Jillard 
be  an  exception  ? 

It  was'in  vain  that  Buster  so  reasoned 
with  himself.  There  was  a  something 
within  him  which  prompted  him  to  tell 


70  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

the  whole  truth,  and  abide  the  conse- 
quences. The  party  which  he  had  ac- 
companied to  the  West  were  to  remain 
For  some  days  at  the  neighboring  town, 
and  there  would  still  be  an  opportunity t 
for  Mr.  Jillard  to  make  another  selec- 
tion, and  for  Buster  to  obtain  another 
situation.  Such  a  home  it  was  not  likely 
would  be  again  open  to  him.  Perhaps 
Mrs.  Jillard  would  not  cast  him  out.  He 
could  but  try  the  effect  of  a  plain  state- 
ment of  the  truth,  and  this  he  determin- 
ed to  do,  as  soon  as  the  morrow  should 
dawn. 

What  a  privilege  it  seemed  to  Buster, 
that  night,  to  speak  to  his  merciful  Sav- 
iour, who  knew  both  his  sins  and  his  re- 
pentance; who,  pure  himself,  could  yet 
love  his  wandering  children  with  an  ever- 
lasting  love. 

Poor  Buster  saw,  ere  he  slept,  that 
much  of  human  ambition  had  mingled 


MRS.  JILLARD.  71 

with  his  desire  to  lead  a  new,  unsullied 
life.  He  had  hoped  to  make  a  great  and 
honorable  name  in  the  West;  now  he 
should  be  thankful  if  as  a  forgiven  pen- 
itent, he  might  have  the  loving  shelter 
of  a  retired,  kindly,  Christian  home. 


72  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

THE  CONFESSION. 

Buster's  sorrowful,  anxious  thoughts 
did  not  prevent  him  from  having  sound, 
refreshing  sleep.  The  glimmer  of  early 
dawn  recalled  him  to  himself,  and  to  the 
anticipation  of  the  painful  duty  before 
him.  Earnestly  the  poor  boy  prayed 
that  morning  that  he  might  be  sustained 
by  the  consciousness  of  the  continual 
presence  of  the  loving  Saviour,  and  so 
bear  whatever  measure  of  deserved  hu- 
miliation, and  sorrow  might  be  in  store 
for  him. 

"What,  up  already?"  said  Mr.  Jillard, 
as  he  heard  a  stirring  in  Buster's  room 
as  he  passed.  "That's  a  good  sign. 
When  you  are  dressed,  come  down  stairs, 
my  lad,  and  we  '11  have  prayers  at  once. 


i     THE  CONFESSION.  73 

Mrs.  Jillard  has  got  our  breakfast  read}', 
I  '11  warrant.     She 's  the  early  bird." 

In  the  large  clean  kitchen  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jillard  were  sitting  when  Buster 
made  his  appearance.  They  were  side 
by  side,  and  together  looking  over  the 
pages  of  a  great  Bible,  as  if  to  decide 
where  to  begin  in  their  morning  reading. 
"Have  you  ever  read  the  Bible  through, 
my  boy  ?"  said  the  farmer,  as  if  to  call 
the  new  inmate  into  the  family  counsel. 

"No,  sir,  not  all  through;  but  I  know 
the  place  where  it  tells  a  fellow  to  speak 
the  truth,  and  that's  what  I  want  to  do, 
right,  straight,  no  matter  what  becomes 
of  me."  Buster  was  evidently  excited. 
His  shy  and  awkward  manner  of  the 
evening  before  had  gone,  and  a  strange 
haunting  memory  of  something  in  the 
past  flitted  across  Mrs.  Jillard's  mind,  as 
she  looked  full  into  his  troubled  face. 

"Speak  out,  and  never  fear,"  said  the 


74  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

kind  host.  "This  is  your  home,  and  the 
very  place  to  tell  what 's  troubling  you." 

Mr.  Jillard  spoke  warmly,  but  there 
wag  a  sad  misgiving  at  his  heart  that  he 
was  going  to  hear  something  that  would 
give  him  a  disagreeable  surprise. 

We  will  not  follow  Buster  through  his 
short,  painful  story.  He  did  not  hide 
the  fact  that  though  he  did  not  steal  the 
purse,  he  had  been  familiar  with  deeds 
of  the  kind,  and  merely  chanced  that 
time  not  to  be  the  real  culprit.  The  re- 
membrance of  the  boy  he  had  been  was 
full  upon  him,  and  he  could  not  too 
strongly  express  his  sense  of  his  worth- 
less, guilty  condition.  "It  can't  hurt 
Baby  Jim  now,  ma'am,  for  me  to  tell  the 
whole  truth  out  here.  He  's  likely  clone 
worse  than  that  by  this  time,  and  has, 
may-be,  had  no  friend  to  show  him  bet- 
ter. I  've  told  you  all,  just  what  I  was 
when  you  saw  me  and  I  saw  you.     It  is 


THE  CONFESSION.  75 

right  you  should  know.  I  think  you  'd 
find  me  another  fellow  now,  but  you 
must  make  your  choice.  I  can  go  back 
and  join  the  boys  there,  and  may-be 
somebody  else  would  choose  me ;  but  I 
know  no  other  place  could  be  like  this." 
Buster  stopped.  "Poor  boy!"  ex- 
claimed honest  Mrs.  Jillard.  "My  heart 
ached  for  you  when  I  turned  my  back 
on  you,  for  I  saw  they  were  not  going  to 
let  you  off.  It  feels  tenderer  still  to  you 
now.  Go  away  from  here!  Indeed  you 
sha'n't.  You  shall  stay,  and  be  an  hon- 
est western  farmer.  It  was  just  think- 
ing of  those  little  fellows  I  saw  when  I 
was  in  the  city  that  made  me  tell  Hicks, 
When  that'lot  of  boys  comes  through  here 
you  must  take  one,  and  we  '11  do  by  him 
as  if  he  were  our  own,  and  God  will  add 
his  blessing.  That  was  what  I  said, 
was  n't  it,  Hicks  ?  We  '11  stand  by  it, 
wont  we  ?" 


76  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

Hicks  Jillard  had  been  perfectly  silent 
while  all  this  was  going  on,  but  now  it 
was  his  turn  to  speak,  and  he  stood  up 
to  give  his  words  their  full  force.  "I 
had  a  good  mother,  a  real  pious,  smart 
woman.  She  set  me  right  when  I  first 
put  my  two  feet  on  the  floor,  and  told 
me  what  was  what  and  which  way  to 
walk.  She  folded  my  two  hands,  and 
made  me  pray  at  her  knee  before  even 
I  knew  what  the  good  words  meant  I 
had  the  best  kind  of  a  bringing  up ;  but 
the  Lord  have  mercy  upon  me!  where 
would  I  be  if,  at  the  judgment-day,  the 
wickedness  of  my  boyhood  was  to  stand 
against  me?  Many  a  wrong  thing  I  did 
which  it  cuts  me  to  think  of  now,  I  who 
had  the  right  way  just  chalked  out  for 
me,  and  nothing  to  do  but  let  her  that 
loved  me  lead  me  along  in  it.  It  little 
becomes  me  to  be  hard  on  you,  my  poor 
boy.     God  bless  them  that  took  you  in 


THE  CONFESSION.  17 

and  made  you  with  His  help  what  you 
are.  May  we  be  just  a  father  and  mother 
to  }Tou.  That's  all  I  have  to  say.  Your 
name  I  told  you  was  Paul  Jillard.  I  be- 
lieve you'll  do  credit  to  it  yet;  and  if 
you  should  n't,  I'll  never  be  sorry  I  gave 
you  my  right  hand  and  called  you  my 
son.  Here,  let  me  hear  if  you  can  say 
'father,'  and  'mother'  too.  A'n't  she  a 
woman  any  boy  might  be  proud  to  call 
mother  ?" 

Poor  Busier  almost  shrunk  away  as  he 
said,  "I  a'n't  fit.  You  are  too  good  to 
me." 

"  We  a'n't  any  of  us  fit.  "We  all  have 
what 's  too  good  for  us.  We  ought  all  to 
be  on  our  knees  thanking  God  for  the 
least  of  his  mercies  to  us,  and  asking  him 
to  help  us  do  our  duty  to  one  another. 
Let  us  pray." 

That  was  a  real  prayer,  a  true,  faith- 
ful speaking  to  God  on  the  part  of  every 


78  BUSTER   AND  BABY  JIM. 

member  of  the  kneeling  group.  When 
Buster  rose,  it  was  as  if  a  great  load  bad 
been  rolled  from  bis  soul. 

When  he  went  off  to  bis  work  that 
morning,  Mrs.  Jillard  called  out  cheeri- 
ly, "Good-by,  my  son ;  look  out  for  your 
father,  and  do  n't  let  him  drink  out  of 
that  cool  spring  "when  be  's  overheated." 

"Aye,  aye,  mother,"  was  Buster's  re- 
ply- 

Mother !  What  a  thrilling,  lingering, 
soothing  echo  that  word  called  up  in  the 
heart  of  the  once  wandering  orphan-boy. 


LETTERS.  T9 

CHAPTER  X. 

LETTERS. 

Buster  had  been  three  months  at  the 
farm,  when  Mr.  Jillard  called  him  to  his 
side  one  evening,  and  said,  "  I  got  a  let- 
ter when  I  was  up  in  town  yesterday. 
May-be  yon  7d  like  to  have  me  read  it 
to  you.  It  is  from  the  gentleman  who 
brought  you  boys  out  here.  So  sit  down 
there  and  listen." 

Hicks  Jillard  had  not  wasted  his  time 
at  school,  and  he  was  not  ashamed  to 
read  before  any  body ;  indeed,  it  was 
rather  a  pleasure  to  him,  he  thought  he 
did  the  thing  so  well.  In  a  clear  voice 
he  began : 

"ME.  JILLAED: 

"Dear  Sir — You  may  perhaps  remem- 
ber the  ten  dollars  you  gave  me  to  use 


SO  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

for  purposes  connected  with  our  society." 
"I  wish  it  had  been  twenty,"  interposed 
the  reader.  "I  want  to  tell  you  how  it 
has  lately  been  appropriated.  A  few 
weeks  ago,  one  of  our  citizens  was  awak- 
ened at  night  by  some  one  entering  his 
open  window,  which  was  at  the  back  of 
the  house.  He  drew  a  pistol  from  under 
his  pillow,  and  shot  at  once  at  the  spot 
from  whence  the  noise  proceeded.  There 
was  a  sound  of  something  falling  into  the 
little  yard  below.  The  gentleman  sprang 
up,  summoned  the  police  from  the  front 
window,  and  then  hastily  dressing  him- 
self, went  to  the  yard.  There  he  found 
the  apparently  lifeless  figure  of  a  little 
boy,  who  had  been  employed  by  older 
villains  to  climb  the  light  grape-trellis 
under  the  window,  that  he  might  either 
steal  for  them,  or  give  them  an  entrance 
into  the  house.  The  guilty  rascals  ran 
off,  leaving  the  poor  little  fellow  to  his 


LETTERS.  8] 

fate;  one  of  them,  however,  was  after- 
wards taken,  and  through  him  the  police 
are  on  the  scent  of  the  whole  gang.    The 
boy  was  baclly  injured.     His  right  arm 
had  to  be  amputated,  as  inflammation  set 
in  when  he  was  wounded ;  and  in  addi- 
tion his  whole  frame  was  so  jarred  and 
bruised  by  the  fall,  that  he  will  be  a  sad 
cripple  for  life.     He  does  not  sit  up  at 
all  yet.     We  have  him  at  the  asylum, 
and  are  doing  all  we  can  to  bring  about 
a  cure  of  mind  and  body.     Your  kind 
donation  has  been  applied  to  his  benefit, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  feel  a  special  in- 
terest in  him  and  give  him  the  help  of 
your  prayers.   We  do  not  k^iow  his  name. 
When  asked  to  tell  it,  he  said  he  never  • 
had  any ;  folks  called  him  just  what  they 
liked,  and  changed  it  pretty  often  too.    I 
am  glad  to  hear  that  Buster  is  doing  so 
well.    We  never  sent  out  a  boy  in  whom 
we  had  more  confidence.     Tell  him  his 


82  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

last  letter  was  read  to  all  the  bojTs,  and 
they  were  greatly  interested  in  it.  He 
must  let  us  know  from  time  to  time  how 
he  is  getting  on. 

"Yours  very  truly." 

Mr.  Jillard  had  had  a  very  attentive 
listener,  and  when  he  closed,  Buster  burst 
forth,  "Oh,  Mr.  Jillard,  if  that  should  be 
Baby  Jim!  That  was  what  they  were 
getting  him  ready  for;  I  knew  it  very 
well,  though  they  never  said  it  in  words. 
Wont  you  write  and  ask  just  how  he 
looks?  I  sha'n't  rest  till  I  know  certainly 
about  it." 

The  very  day  after  the  arrival  of  Mr. 
Jillard's  letter,  Buster  himself  had  one 
from  the  friend  who  understood  better 
than  any  one  else  his  deep  anxiety  for 
his  brother.     It  was  as  follows. 

"Dear,  Buster — I  believe  we  have 
found  him.  I  have  been  on  the  watch 
for  him  ever  since  we  parted.     I  think 


LETTERS.  83 

we  have  Baby  Jim  with  us,  though  he 
will  not  own  to  the  name.  He  was  bad- 
ly wounded,  as  you  heard  through  the 
letter  to  Mr.  Jillard,  and  if  he  ever  re- 
covers he  will  be  without  his  right  arm, 
and  crippled  otherwise.  I  wish  I  could 
tell  you  something  hopeful  about  his 
mind.  He  seems  hardened  and  indiffer- 
ent, and  all  the  kindness  we  have  shown 
does  not  appear  to  have  moved  him  at 
all.  Don't  be  discouraged,  my  boy; 
God  has  so  far  answered  your  prayers  : 
persevere,  and  he  may  yet  give  them  a 
perfect  fulfilment.  You  will  wonder  why 
I  am  sure  that  it  is  Baby  Jim.  He  cor- 
responds to  your  description,  and  when 
I  first  called  'Baby  Jim'  in  his  presence, 
he  started  and  was  much  confused.  The 
poor  child  seems  constantly  fearing  de- 
tection, and  afraid  to  speak  out  frankly. 
I  told  him  we  once  had  a  boy  here  named 
Buster,  whom  we  all  loved.    You  should 


84  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

have  seen  his  eyes  open  and  glisten,  when 
I  spoke  of  you.  Yet  he  was  perfectly 
silent,  and  has  never  asked  me  a  ques- 
tion about  you.  Perhaps  it  would  be 
well  for  you  to  write  to  him." 

Buster  did  not  need  to  have  it  twice 
suggested  to  him  that  he  should  write  to 
his  long  lost  brother.  Again  and  again 
he  wrote,  but  received  no  word  from 
Baby  Jim. 

Buster  heard  that  he  listened  in  silence 
while  his  brother's  letters  were  read  to 
him,  keeping  his  face  covered  with  his 
only  hand  so  that  no  one  could  see  the 
working  of  his  poor  pale  features,  but 
never  offered  to  send  even  a  message  in 
return.  This  was  a  hard  time  for  Bus- 
ter. He  longed  to  go  at  once  to  see 
Baby  Jim,  and  strive  to  bring  up  in  his 
eyes  that  pleasant  old  look  of  other  days. 
He  knew  the  thing  was  impossible,  and 
did  not  dare  to  speak  out  the  yearning 


LETTERS.*  85 

that  was  daily  increasing,   until  it  was 
almost  uncontrollable. 

"Our  Buster  is  worth  two  common 
boys,'7  said  Mr.  Jillard  one  day,  while 
talking  with  a  neighbor.  "I  never  saw 
the  lad  like  him  for  work;  so  steady 
too." 

This  praise,  spoken  in  his  hearing,  was 
very  welcome  to  Buster ;  it  had  for  him 
a  double  value.  That  evening  he  said 
to  Mr.  Jillard,  "Do  you  really  think  I 
am  a  good  worker  ?" 

"Indeed  I  do,"  was  the  hearty  reply. 

"May-be  I  could  do  the  work  of  two 
boys,  if  I  were  to  try.  I  'd  be  willing. 
I  'd  get  up  early  and  keep  on  after  night. 
If  I  could  do  for  him  and  me,  and  had  a 
place  where  I  could  keep  him  and  see 
him  sometimes.  The  loft  in  the  barn 
Baby  Jim  would  think  plenty  good.  No- 
body need  be  troubled  with  him.  If  we 
could  only  get  him  here."    "Pshaw,  Bus- 


86  BUSTETR  AND  BABY  JIM. 

ter,  you'd  kill  yourself  for  that  boy," 
said  Mr.  Jillard.  "My  Mrs.  Jillard 
would  n't  rest  with  a  poor  cripple  sleep- 
ing in  her  barn,  while  she  was  on  the 
feather-bed  her  mother  gave  her  when 
she  was  married.  Be  industrious,  my 
boy,  and  there  's  no  knowing  what  you 
may  be  able  to  do  when  you  are  a  man. 
We  '11  see ;  we  '11  see." 

"  When  you  are  a  man!"  That  seem- 
ed a  dreary  distant  time  to  Buster.  Who 
could  understand  the  impatient  yearning 
of  his  impulsive  young  spirit? 


THE  TEMPTED.  87 


CHAPTER   XI. 


THE  TEMPTED. 


Mr.  Jillard  had  been  selling  some  of 
his  fine  cattle.  He  had  been  paid  in 
gold.  Buster  had  seen  the  mpney. count- 
ed out  on  the  kitchen-table.  He  knew 
where  it  was  locked  up  for  safe  keeping. 
He  knew  where  the  key  of  the  corner 
cupboard  was  hidden  in  a  tea-cup  on  a 
high  shelf  in  the  pantry.  Sad,  sad  know- 
ledge for  Buster.  Why  was  it  that  it 
haunted  him  after  he  lay  down  to  sleep? 
Why  did  the  glimmer  of  the  gold  contin- 
ually glitter  before  his  eyes?  He  jumped 
up  and  thrust  his  head  out  into  the  cool 
air  to  calm  his  fevered  brain.  He  but 
saw  how  low  was  the  window,  how  easy 
to  jump  from  it  and  be  far  away  before 
the  morning  light.      With  that  bag:  of 


88  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

gold,  what  might  he  not  do  for  Baby 
Jim  ?  Once  his  own  master,  he  would 
take  charge  of  his  little  brother,  and 
teach  him  to  lead  an  honest  Christian  life. 

So  whispered  the  tempter,  and  Buster 
listened,  listened  till  in  fancy  he  had  the 
treasure  in  his  hands  and  was  speeding 
over  t^ie  fields  with  his  ill-gotten  gains. 
The  sins  of  his  youth  had  risen  up  to  claim 
Buster  as  their  victim.    Would  he  fall? 

Ah,  there  was  One  stronger  than  the 
great  adversary  on  the  side  of  the  tempt- 
ed boy.  There  was  a  power  mightier 
than  the  force  of  old  habits,  or  the  deceit- 
ful allurement  of  doing  evil  that  good 
might  come.  One  who  had  suffered  be- 
hig  tempted,  was  able  to  succor  him  when 
he  was  tempted.  He  had  a  High-priest 
who  is  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  in- 
firmities, and  he  therefore  dared  to  come 
boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace  to  find  help 
in  his  time  of  need. 


THE  TEMPTED.  89 

Buster  turned  quickly  from  the  win- 
dow and  threw  himself  upon  his  knees. 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  Christ 
save  me.  Help,  or  I  perish,"  he  cried  in 
the  anguish  of  his  spirit. 

Deep  and  sincere  was  his  repentance 
for  having  allowed  his  mind  to  be  sul- 
lied even  for  a  moment  by  such  guilty 
thoughts.  Now  for  the  first  time  he  real- 
ized how  great  had  been  his  want  of  faith 
in  feeling  that  he  must  take  charge  of  his 
brother  in  person,  or  else  all  would  go 
wrong.  He  saw  that  safer  far  would  be 
Baby  Jim  in  the  keeping  of  a  merciful 
Saviour,  than  under  the  most  watchful 
care  of  his  weak  and  tempted  brother. 
To  that  Saviour  he  now  committed  him 
in  perfect  trust.  Having  cast  his  care 
on  Him  who  is  ready  to  bear  all  our  bur- 
dens, Buster  lay  down  to  sleep,  more 
calm  and  hopeful  than  he  had  been  for 
many  a  long  day. 


90  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BUSINESS  IN   TOWN. 

Buster  was  roused  the  next  morning 
at  an  early  hour  by  an  unusual  stir  in 
the  house.  Mrs.  Jillard  might  be  heard 
flying  hither  and  thither,  and  there  was 
a  lumbering  sound,  as  of  heavy  articles 
being  moved,  while  the  farmer  and  his 
wife  were  deep  in  earnest  conversation. 

"Now,  Buster,  up  with  you,  and  be 
down  as  quick  as  you  can,"  said  Mr. 
Jillard's  voice  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 
"We  must  be  off  for  town  as  soon  as  we 
can.  I  have  business  to  do  there,  and 
shall  want  you  with  me." 

Buster  was  not  to  go  on  horseback 
this  day.  Mr.  Jillard's  long  wagon  was 
put  in  requisition  for  the  trip,  and  Bus- 


BUSINESS  IN  TOWN.  91 

ter  was  promised  the  pleasure  of  driving 
a  pair  for  the  first  time  in  his  life.  The 
bag  of  gold  was  brought  out,  and  Buster 
soon  concluded  that  to  deposit  this  treas- 
ure in  the  bank  was  the  object  of  the 
trip.  Mrs.  Jillarcl  favored  her  good  hus- 
band with  many  parting  injunctions,  such 
as,  "Be  careful.  Remember  you  are  not 
a  woman."  This  last  caution  Buster  could 
not  help  thinking  was  particularly  inap- 
propriate, when  he  remembered  how  easy 
it  had  been  to  rob  a  certain  honest  woman 
on  her  first  trip  to  the  city. 

It  was  no  temptation  to  Buster  now  to 
see  the  bag  of  gold  counted  over  once 
more  before  his  eyes.  He  did  not  covet 
one  single  dollar  of  it.  He  was  thankful 
that  the  miserable  suggestions  of  the  con- 
quered enemy  were  not  again  presented 
to  his  mind.  He  had  placed  his  little 
brother  in  the  care  of  One  who  can  com- 
mand the  riches  of  the  earth  for  his  wise 


92  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

purposes,  and  make  even  kings  do  his 
bidding. 

Mrs.  Jillard  at  the  last  moment  came 
staggering  under  the  burden  of  a  mon- 
strous bundle,  which  she  rolled  in  on  the 
clean  straw  in  the  wagon. 

Buster  wondered  much  what  it  could 
contain,  but  he  asked  no  questions,  sure 
that  Mr.  Jillard  would  only  give  him  a 
mysterious  joking  answer.  Hicks  Jillard 
did  not  like  to  have  even  his  Mrs.  Jillard 
too  curious  as  to  his  plans  and  projects. 

Straight  to  the  bank  drove  the  farmer, 
as  soon  as  he  entered  the  town.  When 
the  money  was  deposited,  he  turned  his 
horses'  heads  towards  the  railroad  de- 
pot, and  then  stood  anxiously  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  train, 

11  Company  coming  to  our  house?"  Bus- 
ter ventured  to  inquire. 

"May-be,"  was  the  laconic  answer. 
•  There  was  the  welcome  whistle  at  last, 


BUSINESS  IN  TOWN.  93 

then  the  black  locomotive  was  seen  far 
down  the  narrow  valley  through  which 
the  road  was  built.  Hicks  Jillard  jump- 
ed into  the  wagon,  untied  the  bundle  and 
arranged  some  pillows  and  bed-quilts  to 
his  satisfaction,  and  then  was  down  again 
in  a  moment,  so  as  to  be  at  his  place  when 
the  train  fairly  stopped. 

Anxiously  he  passed  his  eye  along  the 
line  of  cars ;  at  length  he  seemed  to  see 
the  object  he  desired.  At  a  side-door  a 
strong  man  appeared  carrying  a  crippled 
boy.  Buster  needed  no  prompting  now. 
He  sprang  to  receive  the  precious  bur- 
den in  his  arms,  exclaiming,  "Baby  Jim! 
I  should  have  known  him  anywhere.7' 

The  poor  little  fellow  dropped  his  head 
upon  Buster's  shoulder,  and  cried  like  a 
baby. 

"You  know  me,  don't  you?  You 
know  Buster?  You  ha'n't  forgot  me?" 
said  the  big  brother  in  appealing  tones. 


94  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

"All  right,"  murmured  little  Jim, 
clinging  the  closer  to  the  stout  arms  that 
held  him. 

"Here,  lay  him  in  here.  I  Ve  got  it 
all  ready,"  said  Mr.  Jillard,  moving  tow- 
ards the  wagon.  "  I  thought  you  ;d  like 
the  job  I  had  for  you,  Buster." 

That  meeting  of  the  brothers  had  been 
worth  more  to  Hicks  Jillard  than  the  bag 
of  gold  he  had  laid  by  that  morning  He 
charged  his  memory  to  store  away  a  per- 
fect picture  of  it  for  Mrs.  Jillard. 

Baby  Jim  did  not  want  to  lie  on  that 
good  soft  bed.  He  liked  best  to  be  held 
firmly  by  the  only  being  in  the  wide 
world  who  had  ever  loved  him.  It  was 
not  until  he  was  in  a  sound  sleep  that  his 
head  was  gently  placed  on  the  pillow,  and 
he  was  covered  up  as  carefully  as  if  he 
were  the  heir  apparent  of  a  throne. 

Buster  had  no  words  in  which  to  thank 
Mr.  Jillard  for  his  kindness,  though  he 


BUSINESS  IN  TOWN.  95 

vainly  tried  to  express  the  deep  grati- 
tude he  felt. 

"Don't  say  a  word,  boy,"  said  the 
honest  farmer ;  "I  meant  it  from  the  first, 
but  I  did  n't  dare  to  tell  you,  for  fear  it 
could  n't  be.  I  was  n't  sure  he  could  be 
moved,  or  there  'd  be  any  body  to  bring 
him.  The  Asylum  folks,  however,  stick 
at  nothing  that 's  for  the  good  of  the 
boys.     God  bless  them." 

"You  '11  have  a  blessing  too,  sir,  that  ?s 
sure,"  said  Buster  warmly. 

"I  hav'n't  done  any  thing.  It  was 
more  Mrs.  Jillard.  She's  hankered  after 
that  little  chap  ever  since  she  heard 
about  him.  She  's  an  idea  that  her  Dol- 
ly's sweet  milk  will  fetch  him  up,  and 
straighten  him  out ;  and  I  do  n't  know  but 
she  thinks  his  arm  will  grow  right  on 
again,  if  she  once  gets  the  care  of  him. 
The  nights  she  talked  about  it  to  me, 
and  planned  over  it !    Why,  she  's  got  a 


96  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

mattress  all  fixed  up  for  the  settee  in  the 
kitchen,  and  she  means  to  have  him  there 
all  day,  where  she  can  look  after  him, 
she  says.     A'n't  she  a  woman,  now  ?" 

"And  to  think  she  lets  me  call  her 
mother!  I  wish  I  might  be  a  right  son 
to  her,"  said  Buster. 

"And  so  you  will.  And  so  will  he 
too.  He  '11  serve  her  for  a  daughter  in 
the  house,  where  she  can  see  him  all  the 
time  and  have  somebody  to  talk  to.  My 
Mrs.  Jillard  likes  a  good  listener,7'  said 
Hicks,  with  a  funny  quirk  of  his  mouth. 

Buster  thought  of  his  moment  of  temp- 
tation the  night  before,  the  terrible  strug- 
gle that  had  sent  him  trembling  to  his 
knees.  Ah,  if  he  had  yielded,  where 
now  would  have  been  the  cheerful  pros- 
pect that  was  opening  before  him?  What 
sorrow  and  disappointment  he  would 
have  brought  upon  the  friends  who  had 
so    kindly   sheltered   him.      How   sure 


BUSINESS  IN  TOWN.  01 

would  have  been  his  own  utter  falling 
back  into  wickedness  and  misery. 

With  devout  thanksgiving,  Buster  si- 
lently praised  the  God  who  had  watched 
over  him  in  his  hour  of  peril,  and  brought 
him  off  conqueror,  though  the  enemy  of 
souls  had  striven  to  drag  him  down  to 
eternal  death. 


«?>.  BUSTER  AKD  BABY  JIM. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

CONCLUSION. 

Suffering  and  weakness  made  Baby 
Jim  seem  even  smaller  and  younger  to 
his  brother's  eyes  than  when  they  parted. 
Rough  companions  and  hard  usage  had 
been  his  lot  since  then.  His  life  had 
been  risked  as  of  little  value,  where  older 
villains  would  not  willingly  trust  their 
own  necks.  No  ledge  along  a  house  was 
thought  too  narrow  for  him  to  find  a 
footing,  no  trellis  too  slender  for  him  to 
climb.  He  was  told  that  if  he  fell,  there 
would  be  nobody  to  cry ;  and  if  he  suc- 
ceeded, a  golden  reward  was  promised 
him,  still  promised  him,  though  as  yet  he 
had  barely  daily  bread.  "While  Buster 
was  at  his  side,  even  grown  men  would 
not  so  have  treated  Baby  Jim.    The  boy 


CONCLUSION.  39 

knew  it,  and  often  and  longingly  had  his 
thoughts  turned  towards  the  lost  com- 
panion of  his  childhood.  Baby  Jim  had 
found  the  way  of  transgressors  hard  in- 
deed, with  few  rays  of  sunshine  to  cheer 
the  dreary  path. 

Now  he  was  to  be  nursed  and  petted 
as  if  he  were  some  precious  thing.  He 
had  fallen  among  God's  true  children, 
who  count  every  sufferer  as  tfoe  peculiar 
charge  of  Christ,  to  be  loved  and  cared 
for  as  if  sent  by  the  Crucified  himself. 
"Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one 
of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me,"  were  heart- 
appreciated  words  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jil- 
lard,  and  they  rejoiced  that  a  way  was 
yet  left  them  of  ministering  to  His  neces- 
sities, who  while  on  earth  had  not  where 
to  lay  his  sacred  head. 

All  clay  long  Baby  Jim  would  lie  quiet- 
ly on  his  easy  couch,  taking  a  sort  of  re- 


LOO  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

fleeted  comfort  from  Mrs.  Jillard's  kind, 
cheerful  face ;  but  when  the  farmer  and 
Buster  came  into  the  kitchen,  he  claimed 
a  little  more  attention.  He  raised  him- 
self at  once  to  be  taken  into  Buster's 
arms,  where  he  chiefly  loved  to  find  him- 
self; and  it  was  thus  that  he  took  his 
place  at  the  table,  where  the  tenderest 
morsels  and  the  fairest  fruit  were  always 
selected  for  him. 

For  Mr.  Jillard's  quizzical  smile  and 
playful  greeting,  Baby  Jim  had  a  quiet 
twinkle  of  the  eye,  that  told  that  the  far- 
mer's fun  was  welcome,  though  it  won  no 
spoken  response. 

Jim  gained  slowly  but  constantly  in 
bodily  strength,  though  as  yet  he  gave 
no  sign  of  that  true,  inward  progress 
which  was  most  at  his  brother's  heart. 
When  approached  on  religious  subjects, 
he  was  pertinaciously  silent,  and  Buster 
at  length  despairingly  said  to  Mr.  Jil- 


CONCLUSION.  101 

lard,  "I  don't  believe  he'll  ever  comt 
right.  I  am  all  discouraged  about  him.' 
Mr.  Jillard's  reply  was  prompt  and  plain. 
"  You  do  act,  Buster,  as.  if  you  had  to 
be  on  the  ridge-pole,  or  else  the  house 
would  blow  down.  You  Ve  got  nothing 
to  do  with  making  Jim  a  Christian 
You  've  asked  the  Lord  to  do  it,  and 
are  sure  he'll  hear  you;  but  it  will  be 
in  His  time  and  way.  What  more  do 
you  want?  Here  your  brother  has  all 
day  long  a  Christian  woman  to  watch; 
where  will  you  find  her  equal  ?  He  sees 
the  working  of  the  thing.  Then  the  Bi- 
ble is  read  in  his  ears  every  morning, 
and  our  prayers  are  going  up  for  him, 
where  he  can't  help  but  hear  them.  You 
and  I  must  do  what  we  can  by  way  of 
making  our  religion  show  it  is  the  real 
thing  in  us,  and  that  will  be  sure  to  tell. 
I  do  n't  mind  your  now  and  then  trying 
to  persuade  him ;  that  is  all  natural  and 


102  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

right,  if  you  believe  you  are  on  the  true 
track :  but  do  n't  keep  at  him  all  the- 
tirae.  Do  }rour  duty  and  trust  the  Lord. 
The  sun  don't  dart  up  like  a  shooting- 
star  ;  the  wheat  do  n't  make  the  air  whiz 
with  its  fast  growing.  The  best  works 
go  on  slowly.  I  've  great  hopes  for  that 
boy.  He  's  been  brought  through  a  great 
deal,  and  I  believe  there  's  a  white  robe 
for  him  and  a  place  in  the  many  man- 
sions, though  we  can't  see  it  yet." 

Buster  profited  by  Mr.  Jillard's  plain 
talking.  He  remembered  the  Baby  Jim 
of  .old — keen  and  cautious,  slow  to  come 
to  a  conclusion;  but  once  fixed,  not  to 
be  easily  turned  from  his  purpose.  He 
could  not  expect,  in  one  so  differently 
constituted,  the  same  religious  experi- 
ence he  had  himself  passed  through. 
He  would  pray,  and  be  patient.  Yet 
when  Buster  felt  Baby  Jim's  clinging 
arms  around  him,  and  saw  the  small  face 


CONCLUSION.  103 

looking  up  lovingly  to  his,  in  his  heart 
he  yearned  to  have  his  brother  seek  the 
Saviour's  bosom,  and  look  up  to  the  eyes 
which  "closed  in  death  to  save  him." 
Such  yearnings  are  in  themselves  of  the 
nature  of  the  truest  prayer,  the  soul  ap- 
pealing to  the  present  God  for  the  choic- 
est blessings  for  its  dear  ones. 

Through  the  long  winter  Baby  Jim 
was  but  as  a  tender  house-plant,  needing 
the  most  unwearied  care  and  attention ; 
but  as  the  breath  of  spring  touched  the 
tre.es  and  flowers,  he  too  seemed  to  re- 
vive. His  eyes  grew  brighter,  and  a 
new  strength  awoke  in  his  young  frame. 
When  Mrs.  Jillard's  boasted  hyacinths 
were  in  blossom  on  the  sunny  side  of  the 
house,  little  Jim  was  able  to  get  out  to 
look  at  them,  and  as  he  lingered  on  the 
door-step  the  very  pride  of  them  all  was 
placed  in  his  hands.  There  he  sat  look- 
ing at  the  rows  of  full,  pink-tinted  bios- 


104  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

soms,  while-  Mrs.  Jillard  glanced  from 
him  to  the  flower,  her  eye  falling  on  them 
both  with  equal  satisfaction. 

"I'm  not  pretty,  like  it,"  said  Baby 
Jim,  expressing  involuntarily  his  feeling 
of  wonder  that  Mrs.  Jillard  should  gaze 
so  lovingly  at  him. 

The  poor  bent,  crippled  boy,  with  his 
pale,  thin,  old-looking  face,  was  in  truth 
very  unlike  the  pure  sweet  flower  in  its 
perfection  of  beauty. 

"You  dear  fellow,  it  does  my  heart 
good  to  see  you  out  in  the  fresh  air  once 
more,"  said  Mrs.  Jillard,  and  she  sat 
down  beside  Baby  Jim  and  put  her  kind 
motherly  arm  about  him. 

Jim  leaned  against  her  as  he  whisper- 
ed, "I  a'n't  fit  to  live  here  with  you, 
after  where  I've  lived,  and  what  I've 
seen,  and  done  myself  too.  I  a'n't  like 
this,"  and  he  pointed  again  at  the  flower. 

"It  grew  up  out  of  the  dark,  dirty 


CONCLUSION.  105 

ground.  God  made  it  so  sweet  and  beau- 
tiful, and  I  do  n't  mind  if  it  has  an  ugly 
old  root  all  covered  up  in  the  earth.  I 
do  n't  care  where  my  Jimmy  has  lived. 
I  love  him,  and  I  think  God  is  making 
him  one  of  his  own  dear  children.  Is  n't 
it  so,  Jimmy  ?     Tell  your  mother." 

Baby  Jim  pressed  his  one  hand  against 
Mrs.  Jillard's,  and  slowly  bowed  his  head 
two  or  three  times.  She  kissed  him  a 
fond  loving  kiss  as  she  murmured,  "Bless 
you,  clear,  God  bless  you." 

Baby  Jim  rose  up  slowly,  and  moved 
in  his  unsteady  way  round  the  corner  of 
the  house.  Mrs.  Jillard  did  not  follow 
him.  He  could  go  about  safely  by  him- 
self now,  though  he  never  strayed  far 
from  the  kind  face  that  had  beamed  so 
cheerily  upon  him  through  the  long  win- 
ter. 

Mrs.  Jillard's  clean  parlor  was  rarely 
opened.     The  green  paper  curtains  shut 


106  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

out  the  light,  and  within  all  was  neatness 
and  darkness.  At  the  side  windows  the 
lilac  bushes  held  their  undisturbed  reign. 
They  had  grown  until  they  nearly  reach- 
ed the  roof,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  clus- 
ter of  bushes  was  a  shaded  spot  which 
Mrs.  Jillard  thought  only  visited  by  the 
robins  who  had  their  nests  in  the  shrub- 
bery. Other  feet  however  found  their 
way  to  this  hidden  retreat,  for  hither 
Baby  Jim  quietly  crept.  He  pushed  his 
way  through  the  outside  undergrowth, 
and  then  was  lost  from  sidit. 

"Mother,"  said  Buster  coming  quickly 
up  to  Mrs.  Jillard,  who  was  still  busy 
among  her  flowers,  "Mother,  father  wants 
his  new  knife.  He  has  broken  his  old 
one." 

"Go  into  the  parlor  and  get  it,  my 
boy;  it  is  in  the  little  chimney  cupboard, 
on  the  left-hand  side." 

Buster   fumbled   about   in   the   dark 


CONCLUSION.  107 

room,  then  stepped  to  the  window  to 
give  himself  more  light.  Sunshine  and 
joy  indeed  burst  upon  him,-  such  joy  as 
angels  know  in  heaven.  There  in  his 
chosen  retreat  knelt  Baby  Jim,  his  face 
uplifted  with  the  sweet,  loving,  tender 
look  in  it  which  Buster  knew  so  well. 

From  the  depths  of  his  softened  heart 
little  Jim  was  thanking  the  Lord  who 
had  mercifully  brought  him  to  such  a 
home,  and  praying  that  he  might  be  made 
worthy  of  the  loving  care  bestowed  upon 
him. 

Buster  mechanically  snatched  the  knife, 
and  then  quickly  left  the  room.  In  an- 
other moment  a  strong  arm  was  round 
little  Jim,  and  the  brothers  knelt  side  by 
side.  It  was  Buster's  voice  that  spoke 
the  deep  gratitude  of  his  soul  as  he  drew 
the  "lost  and  found"  still  closer  to  his 
side. 

Buster  could  not  linger,  duty  called 


f08  BUSTER  AND  BABY  JIM. 

him  away.  Fast  over  the  fields  he  was 
soon  speeding  with  a  springing,  joyous 
step,  and  forth  on  the  air  sounded  his 
hymn  of  praise : 

"  For  good  is  the  Lord,  inexpressibly  good, 
And  we  are  the  work  of  his  hand  ; 
His  mercy  and  truth  from  eternity  stood, 
And  shall  to  eternity  stand." 

Love,  true  Christian  love  had  sought 
the  poor  wandering  wicked  brothers,  and 
brought  them  to  the  feet  of  Jesus. 

And  can  the  depraved  children  of  the 
city  be  so  reformed  and  made  useful 
members  of  society — of  the  communion 
of  Christ's  church  on  earth,  and  of  the 
redeemed  in  heaven?  The  Holy  Spirit 
of  power  can  wash  away  the  darkest 
stains,  and  purify  the  foulest  heart. 
' '  With  God  all  things  are  possible."  But 
has  this  great  and  wonderful  work  ever 
been  accomplished  ?  Go  ask  the  benev- 
olent men  who  labor  for  such  institutions 


CONCLUSION.  109 

as  we  have  described,  and  hear  their 
cheering  reply.  Yes,  blessed  be  God, 
many  such  wanderers  have  been  reclaim- 
ed: some  are  adorning  earthly  homes; 
some,  we  trust,  are  shining  in  heaven. 

The  eternal  mansions  are  opened  wide, 
the  Master's  feast  is  ready.  To  us  comes 
the  message,  "GJ-o  out  quickly  into  the 
streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring 
in  hither  the  poor — that  my  house  may 
be  filled.'"' 


Beauflftd  ®@@ki 

FOR  CHILDREN  AND  YOUTH. 


Flowers  of  Spring-time.  Combining  amusement  nn<] 
Instruction  in  most  attractive  forms.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  Engravings.     Quarto  size. 

Home  Scenes.  An  elegant  small  quarto  for  the  family, 
with  fourteen  photographic  pictures,  fac-similes  of  fine 
Engravings. 

Views  from  Nature.  Forty  scenes  in  nature  and  art 
Finely  printed  in  tint.  . 

Hours  with  Mamma.  By  Mrs.  S.  E.  Dawes  of  Bos- 
ton, Mass.  Charming  reproductions  of  Bible  narratives, 
for  young  children.  These  pictures  of  persons  and  scenes 
of  never-failing  interest  are  sketched  by  a  practised  hand. 
Thirty-three  fine  Engravings. 

Songs  for  the  Little  Ones  at  Home.  Attractive  as 
over.     Beautifully  illustrated. 

Lullabies,  Ditties,  and  Tales.  Original  short  Poems 
for  the  Children,  containing  Tales,  Songs,  and  Dialogues. 
With  eighty-four  Engravings. 

Home  Pictures.     72  pages.    A  fine  Cut  on  each  page. 

My  Picture-book.     64  pages.     Sixty-one  Engravings. 

Fireside  Pictures.     64  pages.     With  a  Cut  on  each 

sage. 

The  Illustrated  Tract  Primer.  The  Children's  favor* 
ito.     Finely  Illustrated. 

Published  by  the  American  Tract  Society,  and  for 
sale  at  tlie  Tract  House,  150  Nassau-street,  JVev? 
Yorli,  by  the  Society's  agents,  and  by  booksellers. 


